'2도움' 메시가 또 해냈다…소름돋는 대역전승으로 결승행 [지금이뉴스] / YTN

Argentina, the Qatar World Cup champions, staged a comeback victory against England, the home of football, and advanced to the final for the second consecutive tournament. In the semi-final held in Atlanta, USA, Argentina conceded the opening goal to England's Anthony Gordon in the 10th minute of the second half, but equalized in the 40th minute when Enzo Fernandez scored with a mid-range shot assisted by Messi. In injury time of the second half, Lautaro Martinez headed in the winning goal from a cross delivered by Messi, securing a 2-1 comeback victory for Argentina. With 8 goals and 4 assists in this tournament, Messi has tied Mbappé for the top spot in scoring and is now the sole leader in attacking points. Lionel Messi, who is tied for the top scorer position by pouring in 8 goals in this 2026 CONCACAF World Cup alone, still displays the aura of a "God of Football," but there is a distinct difference compared to his prime. Unlike his 20s, when he dismantled defenses with overwhelming speed and explosive dribbling, Messi is frequently spotted in this tournament leisurely strolling across the pitch. However, while conserving his energy, he instantly spots a gap at a decisive moment to target the goal. In other words, he is dominating the game with extreme efficiency by drastically reducing his activity level in exchange for focusing on creating chances. According to a report by the BBC, Messi has recorded 33 shots and 21 chances created so far in this tournament, generating a total of 54 attacking opportunities. This is the highest record for a single tournament since Diego Maradona in the 1986 Mexico tournament. These attacking statistics are particularly noteworthy as they were achieved while walking for 47% of his total movement. Messi's walking rate is the highest among all field players participating in this tournament. Furthermore, he ran an average of only 8.2 km per 90 minutes—the lowest among Argentine field players who played for more than 20 minutes—and his sprints per game averaged 2.7, which is merely half the level of the 2022 Qatar tournament four years ago (5.3). Although his running has decreased, Messi remains the goalscorer most feared by opposing teams. Argentina will play the final against Spain on the 20th, while England, who were challenging for the title for the first time in 60 years, will play the third-place match against France the day before the final. Audio | AI Anchor Production | Lee Seon #ThisNews ▶ Original Article : https://www.ytn.co.kr/_ln/0545_202607... ▶ Send a Tip : https://mj.ytn.co.kr/mj/mj_write.php ▣ Subscribe to YTN YouTube Channel : http://goo.gl/Ytb5SZ ⓒ YTN Unauthorized reproduction, redistribution, and use of AI data are prohibited.