Football

World Cup 2022: Arsene Wenger praises Australia after Messi’s masterclass 

Lionel Messi inspired Argentina to a Round of 16 win over Australia. La Pulga scored 35 minutes into the match while Julian Alvarez also put the ball into the back of the net after the break. It was another Argentine, Enzo Fernandez, whose own goal was responsible for Australia getting on the scoreboard. 

Lionel Messi

 

Graham Arnold’s men went above and beyond of what was expected of them in Qatar. Their World Cup ambitions were cut short by a magical performance by Messi, who has now scored thrice in his four matches in the competition. 

The difference in quality between both sides was evident even if the greatest player ever was removed from the lineups. The Aussies will hold their head high thanks to their continuous runs on the ground. At the conclusion of the group stages, the Socceroos ran a combined 120 kilometres, a number only bettered by the United States.

Arsene Wenger, who is FIFA’s head of global football development since late 2019, praised the Australian’s efforts. While the tireless running of Arnold’s men has been highlighted, the former Arsenal manager was pleased with their formational integrity. 

The 73-year-old was impressed with Australia’s tactics and praised them for following their game plan. He hailed how Arnold used his wide players that allowed them to keep their shape while also being threatening at the other end. 

“We can see how Australia has done so well, they kept their shape all of last night with high-value runners,” Wenger remarked after the round of 16 fixture.

World Cup is about football, not politics

Australia

Qatar 2022 has seen a host of big names fail to make their mark. From Italy failing to qualify to Germany, Denmark, and Belgium being knocked out at the group stages, there has been plenty of surprises. 

The Strasbourg native shared that at such a high-intensity event, teams have to start with their foot on the pedal, alluding to France and England’s opening-round victories. There isn’t any room to slack and those who were not mentally prepared suffered as a result. 

Wenger did not mince his words on the topic and pointed at the unnecessary distractions teams have been involved in. His remarks were a dig at Denmark and Germany, who had been vocal about matters apart from football prior to the competition’s start. 

“You know when you go to a World Cup, you know you can’t lose the first game. The teams who have the experience to perform in tournaments like France and England played well in the first game,” he said.

“The teams who were mentally ready, with a mindset to focus on competition, and not the political demonstrations.”

The Australian contingent will swiftly return to the continent with A-League restarting with a furore over the coming weekend. On the other hand, Lionel Messi and co. will take on the challenge of the Netherlands in the quarter-finals. 

The Oranje defeated USMNT to keep their place in the competition. However, Luis van Gaal’s men were pegged in their own half and only Team America’s inability to pierce their defence held them back. 


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