Lionel Messi played in front of 88,966 spectators on Saturday when Argentina beat Mexico 2-0, the largest attendance at a World Cup match in 28 years. The Lusail Stadium north of Doha, which will stage the final on Dec. 18, hosted the most people at the World Cup since the 1994 final in the United States, according to FIFA. There were 91,194 people at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, to see Brazil beat Italy in that penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw. Read More: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: Will Brazil’s Samba dance continue without Neymar? Saturday’s attendance was several hundred more than the figure for the two previous games at Lusail Stadium, when Brazil beat Serbia and Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia. Qatar’s attendance figures do not rank in the top 30 of all-time World Cup matches. The largest crowd was 173,850 inside the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in 1950 for Uruguay’s 2-1 victory over host Brazil in the final game of that tournament. Read More: Despite not knowing where he'll play beyond Qatar, Ronaldo eyes glory in possibly his last World Cup Other stadiums figuring in the top-30 list are the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Wembley Stadium in London and the Camp Nou in Barcelona. However, Saturday's Messi-led Argentina vs Mexico contest in the Qatar World Cup attracted 88,966 spectators, which was the largest in the past three decades.

At least 19 spectators sustained injuries in a lightning strike when they were enjoying a football match at Jagir area in Sadar upazila of Manikganj on Friday afternoon. The injured were identified as Abul Latif, 60, Ismail, 15, Alamgir, 55, Arif, 29, Wasim, 20, Azizul Hakim, 35, Mokles, 62, Razzak, 50, Shamim, 35, Fahim, 17, Jahidul, 40, Sajeeb, 20, Rajib, 20, Faruk, 30, Shibu Miah, 20, Biplob Hossain, 20, Rauiz Uddin, 18, Lutfur Rahman, , 35, and Badsha Miah, 50. All the victims were residents of Sadar, Saturia and Singair upazilas. Of the injured, 18 people have been undergoing treatment at Manikganj Sadar Hospital where the physical condition of Jahidul, Mokles and Razzak were stated to be critical.       Eyewitnesses and victims said several hundred people from different areas of the district gathered to enjoy a football match at the field of Jagir Union Parishad in Jagir area nearby Dhaka-Aricha highway in the afternoon. Read: Lightning kills 2 fishermen in Sunamganj The spectators sustained injuries when lightning struck them triggering a huge panic, they said. The injured were rushed to the sadar hospital where 18 of them were hospitalised, said Dr Shamima Akter, posted at the emergency department of the hospital. Among the injured, three sustained severe burn injuries in the accident, she added.  

UEFA says “several people” are being treated in the hospital for injuries caused by a protestor who parachuted into the stadium before France’s 1-0 victory over Germany in Munich. UEFA says “law authorities will take the necessary action” for what it called a “reckless and dangerous” act. Debris fell on to the field and main grandstand when the parachutist got tangled in wires carrying an overhead camera. France coach Didier Deschamps was filmed ducking into the team dugout. READ: Ronaldo scores 2, Portugal beats Hungary 3-0 at Euro 2020 The protestor had the slogan “KICK OUT OIL!” and “Greenpeace” written on it. Mats Hummels scored an own-goal and France beat Germany 1-0 at the European Championship. The experienced defender was attempting to stop Lucas Hernández’s cross from reaching France forward Kylian Mbappé when he diverted the ball into his own net in the 20th minute. Both teams had chances to score. İlkay Gündoğan wasted Germany’s best opportunity of the first half when he couldn’t direct his shot on target. France twice put the ball in the net in the second half but both were called back for offside. Mbappé sent a curling shot inside the far post midway through the half and then set up Karim Benzema for another late in the match.