Four new records for Messi

DOHA, Dec 14 (Agencies): Lionel Messi has confirmed he will play his last World Cup game when Argentina take on France or Morocco in Sunday's final in Qatar.
The Argentina forward scored his fifth goal of Qatar 2022 in Tuesday's 3-0 semi-final over Croatia and admitted afterwards he does not expect to appear in a sixth World Cup in four years time.
He said, "I am obviously very happy for finishing my journey in World Cups in a final, to play the last game in a final. That is really very gratifying.
"Everything that I lived in this World Cup has been emotional, seeing how much it has been enjoyed in Argentina. "There are a lot of years from this year to the next one. I don't think I will be able to do that. To finish this way is brilliant."
Messi, 35, has won almost every accolade in the game. He has won the Ballon d'Or - awarded to the world's best player - a record seven times and also won the Fifa Best Men's Player award once.
Other honours include four Champions League triumphs, 11 top-flight titles and Copa America glory in 2021. The World Cup is the only glaring omission, having lost the final to Germany in 2014.
"The target is the collective objective," he said. "We are going to do our best as we have done up until now so that this time it really happens, we really win it.
"I have been enjoying it the last few years being with the national side. I am really enjoying everything that is happening to us. To get the Copa America, to reach the world cup with 36 games unbeaten, and to finish all that trajectory in a final is just incredible. "I hope the people in Argentina enjoy themselves and what we are doing. They shouldn't doubt we are giving absolutely everything."
Meanwhile, Messi set four new World Cup records as his inspirational performance led Argentina to the World Cup final with a three-goal win over Croatia.
Messi opened the scoring with a powerful left-footed finish from the penalty spot after his strike partner Julian Alvarez collided with Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic inside the area. Messi converted the subsequent penalty to become Argentina's record World Cup scorer.
Messi entered this World Cup hoping to land six individual records and while he will be fully focused on inspiring his side to lift the trophy in Sunday's final. The goal to break the deadlock was Messi's 11th in World Cup finals - making Messi Argentina's top World Cup scorer of all time. The Paris Saint-Germain superstar had four days earlier levelled Gabriel Batistuta's World Cup tally of ten goals - the nation's previous record - in their quarter-final progression against the Netherlands with a coolly-converted second-half penalty, before also scoring in the penalty shootout.
For Argentina's third goal, Messi provided a magical solo assist for Alvarez to tap home from close range. Messi twisted and turned past Croatia defender JoskoGvardiol in an eye-catching move before putting it on a plate for Messi to score. That was Messi's ninth assist in World Cup matches - making him the record World Cup assist provider for his nation, moving past Diego Maradona's long-standing record of eight direct goal assists recorded for Argentina.
Messi has now both scored and assisted a goal in four different World Cup games, including three at this year's tournament against the Netherlands and Mexico, and also in a 6-0 group-stage win over Serbia and Montenegro back in 2006.
That means that the legendary attacker became the first player in World Cup history to both score and assist in four separate matches in the competition since records began in 1966. Yet Messi still has one other record in his sights.
The PSG superstar made his 25th World Cup outing on Tuesday against Croatia, which saw him equal former Germany stalwart LotharMatthaus for the most appearances in the competition's history. Messi's World Cup final appearance on Sunday will see him set the record outright in his 26th appearance.