Atalanta spotlight falls on two of Argentina’s greatest players of this generation Lionel Messi and egyptian Mohamed Salah Meet up for a spot in the next round.People will go on to build already legendary international careers. The other could be his last World Cup appearance.Messi completed his football career four years ago by leading Argentina to victory at the World Cup, but the 39-year-old continues to rewrite records. He has seven goals in four games in this tournament and is jointly in contention for the Golden Boot with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. He has also scored in a record eight consecutive World Cup games since Argentina won the championship in 2022, extending his total World Cup goals to 20.Meanwhile, Salah remains the face of Egyptian football. The 34-year-old is a four-time Premier League Golden Boot winner and the top foreign-born scorer in Premier League history, but his international profile continues to grow.He scored 66 goals in 118 games for Egypt, the second-highest total in the country’s history, trailing only national team coach Hossam Hassan’s record of 69 goals. Salah also holds Egypt’s World Cup scoring record with 3 goals.Beyond these goals, Salah has helped Egypt reach unprecedented heights on the global stage. The Pharaohs beat New Zealand 3-1 in the group stage for their first win at the World Cup, then earned their first win in the knockout stages by knocking out Australia on penalties after a 1-1 draw.The contrast in international resumes is striking. Messi scored 124 goals in 203 games for Argentina, winning both the World Cup and Copa America, making him the country’s all-time top scorer. Salah’s 66 goals in 118 international appearances underlined his importance to Egypt, with nearly 56 per cent of his international appearances ending in a goal.
Lionel Messi vs Mohamed Salah: A look at their international stats
Whether this will be Salah’s last World Cup remains uncertain. The same goes for Messi, who has yet to commit to another international match.For now, though, the two icons have one more chance to add another chapter to their international legacies, only one chance guaranteed to keep the dream alive.
