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Saudi Arabia fans mock Lionel Messi and Argentina with savage Cristiano Ronaldo gesture
Saudi Arabia dealt Lionel Messi and Argentina a nightmare start to their World Cup campaign, and supporters used Cristiano Ronaldo to rub salt in the wounds after full-time...
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Saudi Arabia fans have been hilariously mocking Argentina and Lionel Messi outside the Lusail Stadium in Qatar after producing one of the World Cup's biggest-ever shock results on Tuesday. Thousands of raucous Saudi supporters ventured to the 80-000 capacity arena to watch their nation fight back from behind to defeat Messi and co.
Argentina took the lead through Messi's 10th-minute penalty before sensationally having three more goals disallowed due to offsides - another from their captain and two from Lautaro Martinez. But after entering the break a goal to the good, the South American's Group C curtain-raiser collapsed into chaos.
Within 10 minutes of the second-half kick-off, Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al-Dawsari found the net superbly with Saudi Arabia's first two shots of the game. And the No 51-ranked country held on to record an incredible underdog triumph against one of the World Cup favourites.
After full-time, the Saudi celebrations continued outside the stadium, with thousands partying as they headed for home. And several supporters took a cheeky dig at Messi by imitating his biggest career foe, Cristiano Ronaldo's famous 'siu' celebration on repeat.
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������ Saudíes saliendo del estadio tras ganar en el primer partido del Mundial a Argentina.
— MARCA (@marca) November 22, 2022
¿Celebración a lo Cristiano? Están que no se lo creen #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/jJRBtAISQW
The 35-year-old, likely featuring in his final World Cup, cut a dejected figure after the match after a disappointing individual performance failed to inspire his teammates. He, along with Ronaldo, is eyeing World Cup glory this winter to cement his legacy as the greatest to ever do it.
After Argentina's humiliating start to the campaign, he said: "Now we have to show that we are a real group. There are no excuses. We have to correct what we have done wrong and try to get things done. I'm fine but disappointed with the result."
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With his penalty, Messi became the fifth player to score at four different World Cup tournaments after finding the net in 2006, 2014 and 2018 previously. Pele, Uwe Seeler, Miroslav Klose and none other than Ronaldo were the players to achieve the feat before him.
Argentina likely must now beat Mexico and Poland in their remaining Group C matches if they want to enter the knockouts as winners and secure a more favourable run to the final. But Messi and his teammates are on thin ice after Tuesday's disastrous result, and there is little room for further error if they are to avoid an early exit.
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