World Cup 2022: Argentina Head Coach Reportedly Asked Lionel Messi to ‘Allow’ Lewandowski’s Poland to Qualify

• Argentina Head Coach Lionel Scaloni is believed to have asked his captain Lionel Messi not to score more goals against Poland
• Poland were hanging by a thread as a defeat to Argentina by a margin of three goals could have seen them forfeit second place to Mexico
• Argentina qualified as group winners despite an uninspiring start as they fell to minnows Saudi Arabia

A new set of photos and lip reading has insinuated that Argentina Head Coach Lionel Scaloni expressed his desire for Poland to remain at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Argentina and Poland clashed on November 30th, with either team starting at elimination if results did not go their way.

Before that match, only a point separated the two sides, but the Albiceleste had a 2-0 lead after a cagey first half that saw Lionel Messi miss a penalty.

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With Poland losing and Mexico beating Saudi Arabia in the other clash, Robert Lewandowski's side were facing another early exit from the competition. Both Mexico and Poland were at that time tied in points, goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head.

Fair play rule

Poland were still ahead of Mexico by the fair play rule, having gotten lesser yellow cards than their north American counterparts.

At one point after Julian Alvarez' goal, Messi was seen talking to his boss and as Barca Worldwide reports, the PSG forward was interested in knowing the score of the other game.

Scaloni informed him that Mexico were leading by two goals. The manager then proceeded to tell Messi that Poland should not concede more. This can be interpreted as Scaloni favouring the European side to go through. A third Argentina goal would put Mexico ahead of Poland on goal difference.

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It is unclear why Scaloni wanted Poland to proceed, but Argentina didn't get the third goal either way. Salem Al-Dawsari broke Mexican hearts in stoppage time as Poland progressed to the knockout stage as runners-up via goal difference.

They will now face the defending champions France as Argentina take on Australia.

Lewandowski reveals details of his chat with Messi

Sports Brief had earlier Robert Lewandowski and Lionel Messi are back to being buddies after a minor disagreement in Argentina’s final World Cup group game against Poland.

Messi had appeared to have snubbed the Poland striker after he was fouled by the Barcelona forward but all that was settled after the final whistle.

Lewandowski and Messi would later chit-chat after the end of the intense game and the 33-year-old striker has now revealed his conversation with Lionel Messi.