Doha - (AFP) - Argentine star Lionel Messi takes the first step of his last dance in the ranks of the "Albiceleste" team, when he faces his Saudi counterpart at Lusail Stadium, on Tuesday, in the third group competitions of the Qatar 2022 World Cup in football, which is witnessing a confrontation between Poland and Mexico. at stadium 974.

Messi, who won the Golden Ball seven times, said on the sixth of last October that the 2022 edition will be his last, and there is no doubt that he wants it to be the culmination of a triumphant march during which he won all possible titles in the ranks of Barcelona, Spain, and then Paris Saint-Germain, France, as he was crowned with his country. in the Copa America in 2021, to lead it to its first continental title since 1993.

Messi, 35, is participating in his fifth World Cup, and his most prominent result was his runner-up in the 2014 Brazil edition.

"We are very excited. We have a very good group and are very eager. But we are thinking of going step by step. We know that the World Cup groups are not easy," said Messi, who shines in the ranks of Paris Saint-Germain this season, in an interview with the South American Football Federation website.

Argentina is entering this tournament armed with a series of 36 matches without losing over the past three years. And if it is destined to beat Saudi Arabia , it will equal the record held by the Italian national team.

Coach Lionel Scaloni has a homogeneous and solid squad that, in addition to Messi, relies on veteran Angel Di Maria, Juventus winger and Inter striker Lautaro Martinez, in addition to the attacking duo Christian Romero from Tottenham, England, and Lisandro Martinez from Manchester United as well.

The last experience of the Argentine national team, the 1978 and 1986 champions, who settled for the final eight in Russia 2018 when it lost to France 3-4, was its crushing victory a few days ago against its UAE host, five clean.

On the other hand, the Saudi national team must play the match of its life if it wants to achieve a positive result against the South American giants.

The Saudi national team, which includes 12 players from Al Hilal, the Asian champion, has enjoyed technical stability since French coach Herve Renard took over his training in July 2019, when he succeeded in leading him to the finals for the sixth time in his history after leading a group that included Japan and Australia.

And the Saudi national team dreams of repeating the dream of qualifying for the final price round, as it did in its first participation, specifically in the World Cup in the United States in 1994, when its star Saeed Al-Owairan scored for him the historic and wonderful winning goal against Belgium, before losing Al-Akhdar against Sweden 1-3.

Renard has great experience in continental and international tournaments, after he led Zambia to its first title in the African Cup of Nations in 2012, and then succeeded in achieving the same achievement with Ivory Coast three years later, becoming the first coach to win this honor with two different teams in the continental championship. He led Morocco in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

"To make great performances in a major tournament, you have to be very strong at the collective level," said Renard, who is counting on the likes of Salman Al-Faraj and Salem Al-Dosari, in an interview with AFP.

And about meeting Messi, he said, "It will be great! When you decide to become a coach, you want to face the best opponents."

And whether Saudi Arabia will play under pressure in the nearest World Cup in terms of distance, "No. We have been received by His Highness the Crown Prince (Prince Mohammed bin Salman). He blessed us for qualifying for the World Cup, stressing that there is no pressure imposed on the players and that we only have to show a beautiful image of "Saudi football. I see it as a smart move. It's perfect and realistic communication. But that doesn't mean that we will be complacent in our mission."

On the other hand, Saudi national team midfielder Hattan Bahbari considered that the key to achieving a positive result against Argentina at the start of Al-Akhdar's career is the group's solidarity and maximum efforts.

Bahbari, who participated in the 2018 World Cup in Russia in one of the training sessions for his country, said, "We have been drawn into a very difficult group, and we will face the ancient Argentine national team, which includes resonant names at the beginning of the journey."

The teams met four times, Argentina won twice and drew twice.

And at Stadium 974, the only one of the eight World Cup stadiums that will be completely dismantled, Poland and its veteran scorer Robert Lewandowski will face Mexico.

In his ninth participation, most notably in 1974 and 1982, Bello Chervoni (white and red) is counting on the new striker of Barcelona, Spain, and one of the creators of Bayern Munich's glories in the last decade.

The 34-year-old wants to make up for a disappointing start in 2018, when his team bottomed out in the group stage and failed to score a goal.

"Of course I am thinking about the last World Cup. I will do everything to realize the dream of scoring in the World Cup," said Leiva, the best scorer in Poland's history (76 in 134 international matches).

Coach Cheslav Mikhneevich expressed his desire to "keep the ball as long as possible, build quick sentences after possession and pass quickly to relieve the opponent's pressure," considering that organizing the midfield is "the main dilemma" for him.

Despite surviving in the first level of the European Nations League, Poland suffered three defeats, including a heavy one against Belgium 1-6.

As for Mexico, participating for the 17th time, most notably in 1970 and 1986 at home when it reached the quarter-finals, its Argentine coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino hopes that Wolverhampton striker Raul Jimenez will be able to participate.

The 31-year-old has not played with the El Tree since last August due to a thigh injury, after a stuttering start to the season with another knee injury.