DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The staggering loss for Lionel Messi and Argentina against Saudi Arabia at the World Cup is right up there with the biggest upsets in tournament history.
Messi, who had given Argentina the lead before the Saudis came back to win 2-1, is playing at what likely is his last World Cup and chasing the one major title that’s eluded him.
Messi and his highly-rated team, one of the favorites in Qatar, now have an unwanted place on a very different list after losing to a team ranked 48 places below them. Saudi Arabia had won only three games previously at the World Cup, and only one in the last 28 years before Tuesday’s shocker over the two-time champions.