Argentina on top of the world as Lionel Messi inspires Wembley win over Italy

01-Jun-2022 21:04:13 | The Guardian

They came to see their king and he did not disappoint. Three weeks before his 35th birthday but still as influential as ever, Lionel Messi inspired Argentina to victory over Italy in a “Finalissima” at Wembley that certainly lived up to all the hype.

Billed as a showdown between the champions of Europe and South American and being played for the first time since 1993, there only ever looked like being one winner on Giorgio Chiellini’s final international appearance as Lionel Scaloni’s side stretched their unbeaten run to 32 matches. A former defender, Scaloni spent half a season on loan at West Ham in 2006 under the management of Alan Pardew and, with Messi pulling the strings from a deeper position, he has clearly assembled a side that should be considered genuine contenders for the World Cup later this year.