Watch: Messi’s first goal at FIFA 2022 was a nonchalant penalty kick

In the 7th minute of the game, there was some pushing inside the Saudi box. As the referees confirmed it on the VAR, Argentina got a penalty kick and who was better than Messi to take the crucial shot.

With this goal, Messi started his FIFA World Cup 2022 campaign. He patiently waited for the Saudi Arabian goalkeeper, Owais to commit to the wrong side and eventually scored a goal in an effortless way.

Apart from giving Argentina an early lead in the match, the beautiful penalty shot also made Messi the first player from Argentina to score a goal in four World Cups. Despite the defeat, in their first match, the team is expected to hit back hard and is one of the main contenders for lifting the World Cup on 18 December.

After the penalty shot, the duo of Messi and Emiliano Martinez also scored another goal, which was turned down as offside by the referee. In the first half of the match, Argentina maintained the lead, but the Saudis started an intense attack in the second half of the match and Saleh Al-Shehri equalized the score in the 48th minute of the match.

Soon after the first blow came another in the 53rd minute when Saudi Arabia’s Salem Aldawsari shot another goal which gave the Saudis a lead, and they maintained it till the final whistle.

Messi made several efforts to score a goal but Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Owais didn’t repeat his mistake. Owais was awarded a yellow card in the 90th minute of the game for remonstrating with the referee.