Messi’s Argentina beat Panama 2-0 with two late objectives Thursday night time on the Monumental de Nunez Stadium in Buenos Aires, within the first of two matches for the group to have fun its triumph in Qatar.

Thiago Almada opened the scoring within the 78th minute, pushing the ball into an empty internet after a free kick taken by Messi hit the publish. Eleven minutes later, the Argentine nice netted the second with one other free kick to the delight of the capability crowd.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi and teammates line up previous to a global pleasant soccer match towards Panama in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, March 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

“I always dreamed of this moment, celebrating with you,” an emotional Messi stated after the match, standing together with his household on the pitch. He lifted the World Cup trophy as soon as extra in entrance of his followers and took a sluggish victory lap together with his teammates, who carried miniatures of the identical trophy, as fireworks erupted over the stadium.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi and teammate have fun with replicas of the FIFA World Cup trophy after a global pleasant soccer match towards Panama in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, March 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

It was Messi’s 800th objective in his skilled profession. If he scores one other in Argentina’s subsequent pleasant towards Curacao on Tuesday, he’ll hit the mark of 100 objectives for the nationwide group.

Argentina’s full squad in Qatar attended the match. Messi and others introduced their households to the stadium. Coach Lionel Scaloni was one of the crucial emotional; he was tearful earlier than and after the match.

The match culminates every week through which the 35-year-old Messi was extensively celebrated as a hero after serving to Argentina win its third World Cup title, a exceptional change from years when among the identical followers accused him of apathy with the nationwide group.