Happy Birthday Lionel Messi: Top five highlights from Argentina’s victorious 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign

Lionel Messi turned 36 on Saturday (July 24), as he celebrated his birthday. The former Barcelona departed PSG after the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season as a free agent and signed a deal with MLS side Inter Miami. He had an unceremonious exit from Paris as PSG fans jeered him in his final fixture for the club. Despite that, the attacker will have plenty of positives, having led Argentina to 2022 FIFA World Cup glory in Qatar, in December.

Messi led Argentina to a penalty shootout victory against France in the final, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. In what turned out to be a tightly-contested final, Argentina took the lead in the 23rd-minute, with Messi converting a penalty after Angel Di Maria was fouled in the box by Ousmane Dembele. Then a quick counter in the 36th-minute saw Messi flick a ball past his marker to pick out Alexis Mac Allister's run. The Brighton midfielder surged into the box, before squaring it to Di Maria, who beat a rushing Lloris with a bottom corner finish to make it 2-0 for Argentina.

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It looked like Argentina were cruising to an easy win, but Kylian Mbappe had other plans and brought France back into the game with two goals in 97 seconds. In the 80th-minute, the PSG star converted a penalty to make it 1-2 after Kolo Muani was brought down in the Argentine box. Then the 23-year-old made it 2-2 with a stunning volley in the 81st-minute.

The match entered extra-time and both sides began to look for a winner and it looked like Messi found it for Argentina. The veteran tapped it in after a deflection off Hugo Lloris to make it 3-2, after a quick VAR check ruled in his favour in the 108th-minute. But Mbappe once again came to his side's rescue in the 118th-minute, converting another penalty in the 118th-minute after Gonzalo Montiel saw a shot by the Frenchman hit his arm.

After Mbappe's hat-trick, the score read 3-3 and it entered the penalty shootout. During the shootout, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez came out on top with stunning saves to block Aurelien Tchouameni and Kingsley Coman's efforts. Gonzalo Montiel converted the winning penalty as Argentina won 4-2 in the shootout. For his performances in the tournament, he was also adjudged as the best player.

To celebrate his birthday, here are Messi's top five highlights from the 2022 World Cup:

5. Long-range screamer vs Mexico in group stage

Argentina began their 2022 World Cup campaign with a shock 1-2 defeat vs Saudi Arabia. The match saw Messi convert a 10th-minute penalty, but the CONMEBOL were taken aback when the Asian side scored two early goals in the second-half.

Needing to stay afloat in Qatar, they needed a win against Mexico in their next fixture. After a nervy first-half, both sides entered half-time with the score level at 0-0. Deciding to change the tide of the match single-handedly, Messi received a pass from Di Maria in the 64th-minute. 25 yards out, the Argentina captain drove a long-range screamer past a crowd of bodies into the bottom corner. Such was the importance of the goal, that Argentina fans went bonkers in the stands. To calm down nerves, Messi assisted Enzo Fernandez in the 87th-minute as Argentina sealed a 2-0 win.

4. Assist vs Netherlands in quarter-final

Argentina faced the mighty Dutch in the quarter-finals and the pre-match atmosphere saw plenty of drama. Dutch head coach Louis van Gaal, while speaking to the media, stated that Messi's lack of defending was a weakness for Argentina. Argentina took the lead in the 35th-minute and Messi's assist was simply exquisite. He twisted free and burst forward from central midfield, and then delivered a no-look reverse pass for Nahuel Molina, who simply poked in a finish.

The match ended as a 2-2 draw, and then Argentina won 4-3 in the shootout.

3. Juan Roman Riquelme celebration and post-match reaction vs Netherlands in quarter-final

Argentina's second goal in the match vs Netherlands was a Messi spot-kick. After scoring, he directed his celebration towards Van Gaal, cupping his ears. It was inspired by former player Riquelme, one of Messi's childhood idols, who was once brutally ousted from Barcelona by Van Gaal. After the match, Messi also had an argument with Wout Weghorst in the tunnel, where he called the Dutch forward a fool.

2. Assist vs Croatia in semi-final

Argentina faced Croatia in the semi-finals, in what was expected to be a tight affair. But instead it turned out to be one-sided as Argentina cruised to a 3-0 win. The highlight of the match was a Messi assist for Argentina's third goal. Receiving the ball, Messi surged past Josko Gvardiol, and entered the Croatian box from the right flank. Twisting and turning, he outfoxed the defender and assisted Alvarez for a simple tap-in.

1. Goal vs France in the final

Messi's goal in the final vs France wasn't a typical goal, reflective of his brilliance. But it was crucial as it gave Argentina the lead in extra-time, only for Mbappe to equalise and take it to penalties. Messi simply had to tap it in after a deflection off Lloris, which followed after a brilliant Argentine counter-attack.

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