Lionel Messi scored from a penalty kick in the 23rd minute, Angel Di Maria added another one in the 36th minute to put Argentina up 2-0 against France at halftime in the men’s World Cup final on Sunday in Doha, Qatar.
It was Messi’s 12th World Cup goal. The star is making a record 26th appearance at the World Cup, breaking a tie with Germany great Lothar Matthäus.
Messi’s games have been spread over five World Cups, starting in 2006. He has 11 goals in total, tied for sixth in the all-time list. Messi has said this is likely to be his last World Cup.
World Cup lineups
Argentina: Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico; Angel Di Maria, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister; Julian Alvarez, Lionel Messi.
France: Hugo Lloris; Jules Kounde, Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez; Aurelien Tchouameni, Antoine Griezmann, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud.