AL RAYYAN, Qatar - Argentina captain Lionel Messi and coach Lionel Scaloni predicted a tough but beautiful encounter with the Netherlands when the sides meet in Friday's World Cup quarterfinal.

Argentina beat Australia 2-1 while the Netherlands defeated the United States 3-1 on Saturday to set up a tantalizing clash between two of the great teams of world football who famously met in the 1978 World Cup final which the South Americans won.

Lionel Messi desbloqueó un nuevo obstáculo en su sueño de ganar la Copa del Mundo con Argentina. Pese a complicarse más de la cuenta, La Albiceleste se las arregló para vencer a Australia por 2-1 y avanzó a los cuartos de final del Mundial de Catar 2022 con el 10 como figura angular. 

Gol de Messi vs Australia

Uno de los goles del triunfo lo anotó precisamente Messi y en honor a las circunstancias no fue cualquier gol.

Lionel Messi moved above compatriot Diego Maradona on all-time World Cup goals for Argentina with his ninth on Saturday during a Round of 16 clash against Australia, and he accomplished what Cristiano Ronaldo has not in five different World Cups — Messi scored in the knockout rounds.

Australia was a massive underdog heading into this one, but the Socceroos' defensive approach had largely nullified Argentina for half an hour.

After advancing from the group stage in seven-straight World Cups, Mexico crashed out of Group C on Wednesday. El Tri defeated Saudi Arabia 2-1, tied Poland on points but fell one short on goal difference in heartbreaking fashion.

World champion boxer Canelo Álvarez is mad at Lionel Messi and warned that the next time they see each other it's not going to be pleasant for the Argentine. Why is Canelo so angry? According to him, Messi disrespected the Mexican flag and the Mexican jersey after Argentina's 2-0 win over El Tri in the World Cup. 

The big problem with Canelo's story is that Messi did not disrespect any Mexican symbol, which makes the whole situation dumb. 

Un segundo de genialidad de Lionel Messi y un hermoso chanfle de Enzo Fernández dejaron a México conectado a un respirador artificial en Catar.

El plan de Gerardo Martino era maniatar, frustrar y jugar con la desesperación de una Argentina que si perdía quedaba fuera del Mundial. Y aunque por momentos, el partido parecía ir de acuerdo al libreto imaginado por el Tata, bastó un pequeño rayo de libertad de Messi para demoler la resistencia y exponer los errores detrás de la estrategia diseñada por el entrenador de la selección mexicana.

Fans might be wondering “is Mexico out of the World Cup?” after the latest 2-0 defeat to Argentina. No, Mexico still has a chance to advance from the group stage.

Is Mexico Out Of The World Cup?

Mexico still has a small chance of advancing out of the group stage with one game to go. El Tri’s World Cup campaign is off to a brutal start with no goals scored, a draw with Poland and a defeat to Argentina.

Argentina promised the world a response after that catastrophic opening defeat to Saudi Arabia. With over 60 minutes gone against Mexico on Saturday, La Albiceleste looked just as hopeless and ineffective, landing zero shots on target and failing time after time in Mexico's half.

But when you have one Lionel Messi, your threat level is always high.