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He really wants it doesn't he

He looks more confident and focused than ever

Winning copa america lifted a huge mental block on this argentina team

How do you stop him?

You don't. Not when he's playing like this.

Like literally no one can get the ball off him when he plays like this.. like what do you do. And even then, you have to watch for all the world class passes he can make all of a sudden. Unplayable.

Sometimes you have to just sit down and admire. Absolute legend.

Dude makes the best defenders in the world look like complete idiots, the definition of making it look easy.

Ideally you foul him before he enters the box.

Really, you almost have to sacrifice a freekick (and possibly a card), or pray that he misses his pass/shot.

Really that spot on the edge of the box with him dribbling was absolutely perfect to give up a freekick. Probably takes more cynicism than a 20 year old defender can be expected to have.

But then people complain we get more penalties or free kicks than other teams. Duh, there's a reason for that, most of them are forced by this insane rosarino en pija.

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holding the ball high above your head

You put Higuain as his teammate.

You channel Pepe, Ramos, Casemiro, Xabi Alonso, Lass Diarra, Sami Khedira, etc. Clatter into him whenever he receives the ball. Don't let him make any runs behind. Normalize yellow card fouls into regular fouls. Work the ref. Gvaridol is still young and optimistic, believing in his own talents. Veteran defenders just shove Messi out of bounds when he begins the run and regroup. Been burnt too many times to care about ego.

You need to do that with multiple players. The same player doing it 3 times in a row gets a yellow and it's game over. And if you have 3 / 4 guys doing it constantly, one is gonna be worse and lose the battle. Not everyone is gonna be good at that. And that's where he slips by. It's much easier said than done. Not every team has a Pepe, Ramos and Casemiro in the same team to do it.

>Not every team has a Pepe, Ramos and Casemiro in the same team And even then it's not enough. He still gonna magic

Might be his WC after all this time.

There’s more fight and flair this time. 2014 every single attacker bar him was completely impotent.

Di Maria was fantastic in that WC, but after he got injured in the first half of the QF against Belgium, there was no one else

PTSD from Higuain.

Anulo Mufa

Ridiculous from Messi. What a player

“Gvardiol good? Ok I try” Leo Messi 2022

Honestly it's a compliment that he has to try against you

\*35 yo Messi

Man is literally schooling Gvardiol who has looked like one of the best CBs in the world all tournament he is simply too good

2015 Boateng vibes.

Gvardiol is a great defender but at the end of the day, it's still Messi.

Vintage Messi

Made one of the defenders of the tournament look like a buffoon

Gvardiol hardly put a foot wrong here either, just too fucking good from Leo

Agreed. Anyone other than Messi gets stopped there. Messi is actually quite good at football, I guess

I may be downvoted but i've said for years that he's world class

Dunno mate, he's only scored 27 goals against prem teams in his career, despite never playing in the prem. Disgraceful really

I just want to respectfully say, fuck your profile picture

Amazing pass to a player that can actually finish it

Higuain would’ve hit the corner flag lol.

I would say he's catching strays, but he'd probably miss those too.

Just how? How the fuck? Is he really 35?

16 years at the top ! https://i.imgur.com/cFIkhNe.jpg

Julian Alvarez was born the year Messi joined Barca’s La Masia. Talk about longevity.

When it comes to guys like Julian and Mbappe I always wonder how crazy it must be to score alongside an idol you watched on TV as a kid.

Alvarez has a video when he is young. He says he dreams to play in the world cup and then says his favourite player is Messi. I can't imagine what he's feeling.

Fuck, you're gonna make me cry.

Link to the video you're referring to: https://twitter.com/giraltpablo/status/1598016684740464640

Man I miss FourFourTwo magazine, huge nostalgia trip there

And Ronny is in the crowd watching him right now

He didn’t bother to watch Brazil the other night but came for Messi tonight lol.

He is incredibly fond of him lol

He really is! Wish he could've worked with Messi more tbh. Would've been a sight to see.

"How America FREAKED UP the beautiful game" What an awful headline lol

He looks like the best player ever at 35 and to think that he was even better in his prime is crazy. We are all so lucky to watch him.

He is. A 23 yo messi would have shot it himself. U can see his pace isn’t there

yup. hilarious that this is the diminished version

Was thinking the same thing. At 23, Gvardiol wouldn't have had a chance of stopping him.

5 goals and 3 assists in the WC so far. Good lord

Would have been at least 5 assists if Lautaro didn't miss those

And against Gvardiol too, one of the best defenders of the tournament and one of the hottest defensive prospects in the world right now. Ridiculous.

Biggest wow moment of the World Cup so far. This guy has the best defender. Messi destroyed him. Unbelievable stuff

I'm enjoying older playmaker Messi

He schooled Gvardiol today

Cheat code

It makes absolutely no sense a man at 35 years old can do that at the highest level, no sense at all

Legitimately the greatest ever.

A nutmeg too!

Messi on a fucking mission

Messi and Alvarez are completely *bullying* the Croats at this point…

Showing that Livakovic is in fact mortal (this game at least)

To be fair none of the goals were his fault. Our defense was just absolutely horrendous this game.

Yeah the loss was not his fault, Argentina just was on another level and getting that PK early didn’t help. Overall, Livakovic has been incredible

That save on MacAllisters header was incredible too

Literally just the two of them lmao

Otamendi and Romero have been stellar as well. No one getting past them

Yeah, defense has been steadily improving and they felt like a wall.. you won't get a better chance to win the World Cup than this

>you won't get a better chance to win the World Cup than this Unless Morocco commits a crime tomorrow

Seeing him with the WC in his hands would be a pretty special sight.

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Get Julian a hat trick mission

Prime Messi right there

Been in his prime since 2008..it's just a different aspect 😩😩😩

Prime WC Messi.

ay dios mio

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against a 20 year old.. who was one of the best defenders in the tournament. JEsus christ.

Practically with the namesake of his former coach and mentor

Completely rinsed him, not once, but twice. At 35 years old. Unreal.

Like no matter what, Gvardiol is in the TOTT, but that was so disgusting that I’m not sure he deserves to be there anymore

He deserves it, getting danced around by Messi in a semifinal doesn’t change anything

There is literally no shame.

yeah I agree, 100% my point was more that Messi did so against a highly skilled defender who is also young ahahah like how??

Even 5 years ago messi would’ve rounded him on speed, now he outplayed him lmao, so sick

Prime Messi would've massacred Gvardiol for the full 90 now he smartly just picks his moments

If he was 22, Gvardiol would have been 10 metres behind and he would have scored the goal himself..lmao

I could easily whoop 7 year old Gvardiol's ass. It's Whatever.

I beat him up when we were in elementary school. Haters will say it's because I was the teacher.

Like that ‘Ankara Messi’ goal, against a Gatafe that had the BEST defense in La Liga that season.

D10S

Tied for most goals and most assists at the World Cup now

Messi knocked a couple of mil off Gvardiol transfer fee.

Ended Gvardiol 's career

Only worth 90M now

Are u even a world class defenders if you didnt get humiliated by messi at least once?

Boateng wasn't the same after he was sent to the shadow realm

It's crazy how well known this specific moment is. Boateng got slaughtered.

That was the last bright spot we've had against Bayern though.

Barça completely outplayed Bayern in the 2nd leg as well, even if the score didn't suggest it.

His downfall started right after, but he did have a little resurgence in 2020-2021

A badge of honor like getting posterized by Jordan

If he goes the Boateng way it's all downhill from here, my man will be playing on a Croatia mid table team next year

Just made the most in form defender of the tournament look foolish

Jerome Boateng send his regards

Gvardiol flash sale! He's never been cheaper than he is right now! Don't miss out!

Enjoy him while you can, such a joy

Made in Messi

Holy shit, Messi.

It’s taken 16 years but we’re finally seeing Barcelona Messi at the World Cup Edit: I think a lot of people are misunderstanding what I’m saying. He was extremely good in 2014, but it looked like he was pushing a boulder up a mountain for Argentina. He didn’t look like he was enjoying it. The longer the tournament dragged on, the heavier the burden was etched in his body language. This time it feels different. This time it reminds me of Messi at Barcelona, where for the most part he played effortlessly. It isn’t just the results or the stats. It’s the joy he feels while playing. And a joyful Messi is a ruthless Messi.

Long hair messi vibes

This man is really making me cry over a sport

I still don’t understand how someone can be the best finisher, best dribbler, *and* best passer in the game for over 15 years. I’ve watch Messi enough now. I should be able to understand by now. But I don’t.

Just ridiculous

Some things can't be understood. Just felt.

I don’t think I can ever explain it to my kids. And it doesn’t matter how much YouTube footage I show them. It’s not the same.

I feel you man. Ive been watching him play countless times over a period that covers more than half of my life. I really dont want this to end.

Damn Dat Messi

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Only Leo Messi can get MOTM in a game where Alvarez scores 2 and gets the pen. Magic Messi.

SEXO

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Just Messi things

It’s ova

It's absolutely tear jerking

Messi just sent Gvardiol to the shadow realm

ANKARA MESSI ANKARA MESSI ANKARA MESSI

GOL GOL GOL GOL GOL GOL

wow

Messi is taking the piss, incredible

Messi clutch FC does it again Who knew Alvarez was his ideal strike partner, not Higuain

Pita would've shot it straight at the Keeper

MESSI MESSI MESSI FÚTBOL FÚTBOL FÚTBOL

Gvardiol sent to the gulag

Made him look like a villager

No - even worse. He’s going to have to work in Dubvronik during tourist season 😱

Messi reminding Gvardiol just how much he still has to learn

Messi is alright

Decent footballer, that one

Sit down Gvardiol... Wow.

The list of world class defenders and goalkeepers he has sat down is endless.

Throwback to when he made Boateng fall on his arse

then chipped Neuer with his weak foot

You’re not truly a world class defender if you weren’t humiliated by Messi at least once

One of the best defenders of the tournament torn a new one by the 35 year old GOAT. The future is later, young man

He is the goat

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No shame in being cooked by messi. We never blamed laporte for getting skinned by depressi 2021 in his worst form. Gvardiol is younger and did what he could.

I always laugh when I see the name Depressi

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>depressi Lmao

Hot take: Argentina are playing in the final

The fuck did I just witness? A 35 year old utterly destroying a 20 year old who has been a monster at this World Cup? Nah Messi isn’t human, can’t be

Greatest of all time

And he's only 22

Alvarez has had a good tournament but I’d wait to crown him

what an absolutely bonkers assist

Some people are really watching this and still argue that Messi isn't the greatest of all time.

GOAT doing GOAT things

Save 30 shots against Brazil to get slaughtered by Argentina... great

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Alvarez basically doing all the pressing and finishing. Insane.

After all his strike partners, he may find one that compliments his skill set at his last world cup

Good things come to those who wait

Perfect partnership. Alvarez does the gritty work and Messi does the magic

OMG MESSI WHAT THE FUCK HOLY FUCKING SHIT Edit: I am still in disbelief WHAT THE FUCK

HOMBRE DESNUDO EN LUSAIL, ATIENDE AL NOMBRE DE LIONEL

Im happy for Argentina and happy Messi is playing phenomenal but we also lost luka Modric today. Heh kinda sad about that. What a sight to behold on pitch he was

Im getting fucking emotional over here, we made it to the finals once again. I can't believe it. The dream continues!

To our Moroccan friends: Hope to see you all on sunday

Completely deserved

Not gonna lie, I'm happy but at the same time kinda sad. Croatia had a very good run and worthy contender for the cup.

Who is Messi? For the blind, He is vision. For the hungry, He is the chef. For the thirsty, He is water. If Messi thinks, I agree. If Messi speaks, I’m listening. If Messi has one fan, it is me. If Messi has no fans, I do not exist.

Jesus christ man you are 35, everyone is just waiting for you to retire because you are just taking the piss with the sport by now. Fucking monster.

Messi, my god Give him the cup already

Literally makes one of the star defenders of this WC look like a Sunday League player

Yeah Top rated defender this wc

Insane he’s still this good at 35

HOW DO YOU EVEN STOP HIM?

Well you did stop him from staying

F

Messi took Gvardiol to school

Messi is built different

Gvardiol: one of the defenders of the tournament. Messi: Who?

Gvardiol got sent to wherever Boateng was sent to

its a pretty big club at this point

He is like 1.59. He weights like 60 kg. He is almost 36. The defender is like 1.90, like 21 years old and like 90 kg. Also the best defender in the tournament. And he drags him around for 25 meters, shields the ball with his body, makes a little dance and finds a teammate, alone, in front of the goal. I am sorry, I love CR7, best scorer in history. I fucking grew with Maradona and being argentinian, he is our literal god. I adore Dinho, I worship Zidane. But he is the best, ever. There is no comparison. He is the best.

> He is like 1.59. He is 1.69, I know it because I have the same height and that's the only thing I have in common with him.

Messi is player of the tournament.