Lionel Messi took a photo with 12-year-old Julian Alvarez a decade ago, then linked up for 3 goals in the World Cup semifinal
Alvarez #Alvarez
Argentina is through to the World Cup final.
After a 3-0 win over Croatia in Tuesday’s semifinal, Lionel Messi and company punched their tickets to Sunday’s finale, where they will face the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal match between France and Morocco.
Argentina got the scoring started after forward Julián Álvarez earned a penalty in the 31st minute after he was taken out by the Croatian goalkeeper.
Messi punched home the penalty kick with authority to give Argentina a 1-0 lead.
The goal was a special one for the country, but also for the duo of Messi and Álvarez.
Ten years ago, Álvarez was just like any young fan in Argentina, looking up to the nation’s soccer hero. When given the opportunity, a 12-year-old Álvarez asked Messi for a photo.
Since he was young, Álvarez had been clear about two things: He wanted to play in a World Cup, and he wanted to do it with Messi.
“Messi has been my idol since I was a child,” Alvarez said, according to his club Man City’s official website. “He’s my family’s idol, the idol of my brothers too. So, Messi. Messi is a hero for me.
“I dreamed as a child to play in the national team with Messi.”
On Tuesday, Álvarez’s dream came true in an even bigger way.
After earning the penalty kick that gave Messi the chance to put Argentina up 1-0, Álvarez doubled the lead by running the distance of the field after receiving a crafty flick from Messi.
The duo wasn’t done. As the match ticked towards its 69th minute, Messi darted with the ball into the box and passed back to Álvarez, who smashed home his second goal of the day.
Croatia would never find a response, and Argentina held on to win 3-0, earning a spot in the final.
This World Cup is not the first time Álvarez’s photo with Messi has earned attention. After making his first international appearance in the summer of 2021, Álvarez scored his first goal for Argentina in a World Cup qualifying match against Ecuador in March of 2022.
When he found the back of the net, Messi got a big hug.
Together, Messi (playing in his fifth World Cup) and Álvarez (playing in his first) now lead Argentina’s attack, and are 90 minutes away from delivering Argentina the most prized trophy their sport has to offer, for the first time since 1986.