It’s another match day, and another new record is around the corner for football superstar Lionel Messi. This time, Messi is all set to break his compatriot Diego Maradona’s unique World Cup record, which he held for 28 years. The present Argentine captain can surpass the record when his side takes on Australia today for their FIFA World Cup Qatar Round of 16 clash.
Which World Cup record set by Maradona may Messi break?
Lionel Messi has already matched Diego Maradona’s two World Cup records: appearances and goals. Now he is all set to surpass another record that is related to creating chances.
For creative midfielders or forwards, playmaking is the most essential thing. They are judged by how many chances they create in a match. That’s where great players like Messi, Zidane, and Maradona are masters at creating lots of chances in a game.
When it comes to the World Cup, Diego Armando Maradona has the most chances created with 67 since the 1966 World Cup. The late Argentine legend played four World Cups from 1982 to 1994. Maradona helped his national side win the 1986 World Cup and reach the 1990 World Cup final. Obviously, he had an enormous contribution to Argentina's success during this period. His numbers in creating chances are one indicator of how he contributed to the national team.
Maradona’s compatriot Lionel Messi, who is considered his rightful heir, can help Argentina win their third World Cup title. Leo is very close to breaking this record. Messi has taken his tally to 63 after creating five chances in Argentina’s last group-phase fixture against Poland. Leo needs only five more to surpass Maradona’s total of 67. With the kind of form Messi has shown in this World Cup, he is expected to break this record in today’s Round of 16 match against Australia.
When will the Australia vs Argentina FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match take place?
The much-anticipated Argentina vs Australia match will be held at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, which has a 45,032 capacity. As per schedule, the game will kick off at 1 a.m. Sunday (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Aftermath
The Argentine skipper is now accustomed to breaking records. Lionel Messi is close to shattering a new record every time he steps onto the pitch. Messi will have the opportunity to break Diego Maradona's World Cup record for chances created when Argentina play Australia today in their round of 16 encounter, in addition to winning the game.