Lionel Messi and Argentina closing in on record-breaking run with World Cup on horizon

Scaloni's side next face UAE in November friendly having gone 36 games unbeaten

Lionel Messi celebrates with teammate Joaquin Correa after scoring during Argentina's 3-0 win against Jamaica at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey on Tuesday, September 27, 2022. AFP

Argentina's Lionel Messi controls the ball during the match in the United States. AFP

Argentina's Lionel Messi scores from a free-kick. AFP

Julian Alvarez, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring Argentina's opening goal. AP

Argentina defender Gonzalo Montiel during the win over Jamaica. AP

A fan is held down by security as he tries to take a picture of Argentina's Lionel Messi. AP

Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring. AFP

Argentina's Lautaro Martinez. AFP

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring. AFP

Argentina's Lionel Messi holds off the challenge of Amarii Bell of Jamaica. AFP

A fans asks Lionel Messi for an autograph in the middle of the pitch during the game. AP

Lionel Messi signs a fan's back during the game. AP

Lionel Messi scores for Argentina. AP

La Scaloneta will touch down in Abu Dhabi in six weeks time in pursuit of a world record. If the term ‘Scaloneta’ is still unfamiliar outside South America, it’s because it has come into use gradually and stealthily. It derives from Lionel Scaloni, the former full-back and now manager of Argentina, who is not the sort to demand historic achievements are named after him.

Yet the ‘Scaloneta’, the national team captained by Lionel Messi and managed by Scaloni, a stopgap appointment when he assumed the role four years ago, are slowly but surely looking like genuine candidates to win the World Cup, for which they will prepare in Abu Dhabi with a friendly against UAE.

If the Messi roadshow continues as it has this season, crowd control may be an issue. On Tuesday night in New Jersey, a spectator at Argentina’s 3-0 win over Jamaica ran on to the pitch, mid-game, and before stewards could apprehend him, had given Messi a pen to autograph the excited fan’s bare back.

Messi obliged, smiling, as he has been since he embarked on the 19th season of his senior career and began the countdown towards his fifth World Cup. Against Jamaica, he scored twice, having come on as a substitute with little over half an hour of the friendly remaining. It took his tally of goals from his last three Argentina appearances to nine.

On this sort of form, it does not seem fanciful that he could bring up his century of international goals before the end of 2022. He is on 90, with the prestigious UAE warm-up, and a possible seven matches in Qatar if La Scaloneta make it all the way to the final, ahead of him.

Scaloni needs two more unbeaten games to match the international record – 38 matches – for invincible runs and if most of that sequence has been put together against opponents outside the elite, it does include a Copa America final against Brazil and the June victory at Wembley over European champions Italy.

Argentina may not have a squad, man for man, to compare with the greatest of their history, but they have balance and confidence. Plus a beaming Messi, focused on what may well be his last chance, at 35, to lift the sport’s greatest prize.

Neymar celebrates after scoring for Brazil against Tunisia at the Parc des Princes in Paris. AFP

Argentina were among the high flyers from the last international pause in the hectic club calendar before World Cup squads are announced. Brazil also strengthened their arguments to be considered favourites, with their comfortable wins over Ghana and Tunisia, the latter game marred by someone in the crowd at the Parc des Princes throwing a banana at Richarlison.

The Tottenham Hotspur striker was meanwhile enhancing his status in the Brazil hierarchy of forwards: He has seven goals and two assists in his last six outings under Tite, the Brazil coach who considers his talent pool deep enough to have left out Arsenal’s in-form Gabriel Jesus.

Most of the so-called European heavyweights had mixed fortunes, but will have appreciated the competitive edge to their matches in the Uefa Nations League.

France must now begin the defence of their World Cup title with a single victory from their last six games, and concerns about the fitness of key men.

England 3 Germany 3: player ratings

ENGLAND RATINGS: Nick Pope 4: Sloppy first touch followed by slip gifted first chance of game to Germany and not convincing on deck on several other occasions. Awful spill to hand Havertz tap in to make it 3-3. No chance with other two goals. Reuters

John Stones 6: Back in team after suspension and almost put Pope in trouble with awful back pass in 20th minute. Pulled up with hamstring injury while charging forward and had to be replaced before half-time. AP

Harry Maguire 3: Disastrous effort gifted Germany their opener when he gave ball away then brought down Musiala with poor challenge that allowed Gundogan to score from spot. Lost possession again at start of move that led to Havertz strike. Surely cannot keep his place in Qatar. Reuters

Eric Dier 8: In-form Tottenham defender looked very comfortable in similar defensive set-up as his club side. The polar opposite to defensive partner Maguire and has played his way into the starting XI. AFP

Reece James 7: Looks to have secured the right wingback place for the World Cup. Saw lots of the ball without the surging runs forward that he produces for Chelsea on regular basis. His cross eventually fell at the feet of Shaw for opening goal. EPA

Declan Rice 7: Key player for England at base of midfield and stood up well up against two world-class players in Kimmich and Gundogan in centre of park. Relentless pressuring of opponents. Getty

Jude Bellingham 7: Borussia Dortmund midfielder not as impressive as against Italy last time out but is another whose form should secure him a starting berth at World Cup. Had three attempts on goal but failed to find the target with any of them. EPA

Like Shaw 7: Inch-perfect through ball to Sterling almost saw England take lead with first attempt at goal. Scuffed home shot to score England’s first goal from open play in more than 560 minutes of football. AP

Phil Foden 5: Should have picked out Kane with ball into box in first half but sent pass behind his exasperated captain. Control let him down in promising England attack just before break. England still struggling to get the best out of the Manchester City man. Reuters

Raheem Sterling 7: Denied opening goal in 25th minute when Ter Stegen saved his low strike well after leaving Schlotterbeck on his backside with nice turn. Hit left-footed shot from close range straight at keeper just before break. Saw another shot easily saved by Ter Stegen in second half. AFP

Harry Kane 7: Striker’s 50th game as captain and almost opened scoring with lovely Van Basten-esque volley from tight angle that flashed across goal. Blasted penalty into top corner to complete sensational England turnaround. AP

SUBS: Kyle Walker (On for Stones 38’) 6: Early introduction due to Stones injury and slotted into back three well, although was relieved when Werner sent shot wide when through in second half as he tried to sprint back to block. Getty

Bukayo Saka (On for Foden 66’) 8: Lovely piece of skill to set-up fellow substitute Mount’s equalising goal. Clean through in last minute only to see keeper fingertip shot just wide. AFP

Mason Mount (On for Sterling 66’) 8: Straight into action and almost picked out Kane with ball into box and produced confident finish to level the scores after being teed-up by Saka. AFP

Jordan Henderson (On for Bellingham 90+1’) N/A. Getty

GERMANY RATINGS: Marc-Andre ter Stegen 8: Barca keeper continued in goal with Neuer out with Covid and made excellent one-handed save from Sterling in first half. Produced another fine stop to turn Saka wide in last minute. Got leg to Shaw’s shot that crept over line. AFP

Thilo Kehrer 7: Thought he should have had first-half penalty when Sterling pulled his shirt but theatrical fall to ground failed to convince referee. West Ham player offered Germany plenty of width down the right. Getty

Niklas Sule 7: Centre-half played nice one-two with Gundogan on the hour mark before dragging low shot wide of target. Cleared Shaw’s shot just after ball crossed line for England’s first goal. AP

Nico Schlotterbeck 6: Left on his backside by Sterling turn as England attacker almost put side in lead. Vital sliding challenge on Sterling just before half-time was enough to put same player off before shooting straight at keeper. His rash tackle on Bellginham gave away penalty. Reuters

David Raum 8: Left-back helped helped keep Foden very quiet and was no surprise the Manchester City man was taken off in second half. Also helped to restrict James’ attacking threat. Impressive performance from RB Leipzig player. Getty

Ilkay Gundogan 8: Manchester City midfielder clipped first shot of game over the bar from outside box after Pope error. Side footed Germany in front with confident penalty and barely wasted a pass all night. AFP

Joshua Kimmich 8: German captain pulled low shot just wide of target from outside of box just before half-time whistle. Threaded lovely ball through to Musiala just after break. A class act alongside Gundogan. AP

Jonas Hofmann 5: Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder almost capitalised on poor backpass back to England’s goalkeeper but little impact and hooked at half-time. Getty

Jamal Musiala 7: Former England youth player charged down Pope clearance to hand Gundogan early chance. His trickery resulted in Maguire bringing him down for second-half penalty. Skinned three England players before setting up glorious chance that Werner should have finished. Getty

Leroy Sane 5: Drilled early free-kick from great position straight at wall which summed up the Bayern Munich’s wingers efforts. Disappointing night. EPA

Kai Havertz 8: Easy to forget he was playing in invisible first-half performance. Seemed to benefit from Werner’s arrival off bench, though, and curled home glorious finish to make it 2-0 then grabbed late leveller with close-range finish after Pope blunder. AP

SUBS: Timo Werner (On for Hoffman 46’) 7: Half-time introduction and made immediate impact. But should have put Germany two-up after superb work from Musiala but scuffed ball wide of target with finish that will be familiar to Chelsea fans. Reuters

Robin Gosens (On for Raum 68’) 5: Brought on just as England launched their superb comeback. AP

Serge Gnabry (On for Sane 68’) 6: Saw weak shot spilled by Pope that allowed Havertz to make it 3-3. Reuters

Thomas Muller (On for Musiala 79’) N/A. AP

Armel Bella-Kotchap (On for Havertz 90+1’) N/A. Reuters

Germany, world champions in 2014, have also won just one game in their Nations League group, although they will feel there is firepower in their side when manager Hansi Flick gets them to click: Their 1-0 home loss to Hungary last week was sandwiched between a 5-2 victory against Italy and a wild 3-3 draw with England.

England, finalists at the European championship 14 months ago, find themselves relegated from the top tier of the Nations League and, until the see-saw draw against the Germans, plodding gloomily towards Qatar.

When manager Gareth Southgate concluded that the sharp criticism following back-to-back defeats against Hungary and Italy had left “some young [players] needing help and guidance, thinking ‘What is this?’, he might have been glancing enviously at Spain, where a clutch of up-and-coming footballers brightened the outlook.

Three teenagers, Gavi, Pedri and Yeremy Pino, and 20-year-old Nico Williams helped push Spain into next year’s Nations League finals in dramatic circumstances, an 88th minute goal deflating Portugal and an exasperated Cristiano Ronaldo.

It was a good week for Croatia, the 2018 World Cup silver-medallists, and for the Netherlands and their veteran manager Louis van Gaal. Both qualified for the Nations League Final Four. That event, next June, seems distant and scarcely relevant – but a winning habit is something to cherish with Qatar 2022 just 52 days away.

Alvaro Morata, right, celebrates with teammate Nico Williams after scoring Spain's winner against Portugal in Braga. AFP