Messi’s Sidekick Julian Alvarez Flourishing at the World Cup

Argentina's forward #09 Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between Argentina and Australia at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha on December 3, 2022. (AFP)
Argentina's forward #09 Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between Argentina and Australia at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha on December 3, 2022. (AFP)
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Messi’s Sidekick Julian Alvarez Flourishing at the World Cup

Argentina's forward #09 Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between Argentina and Australia at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha on December 3, 2022. (AFP)
Argentina's forward #09 Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between Argentina and Australia at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha on December 3, 2022. (AFP)

This season has been quite an education for Julian Alvarez. 

From being the understudy to Erling Haaland in his first year at Manchester City to being the sidekick to Lionel Messi for Argentina at the World Cup, Alvarez is learning from the biggest stars in football. 

He’s on the path to becoming one himself. 

Two starts, two goals. How about that for your first World Cup? 

As someone who once scored six goals in a single match in the Copa Libertadores, the 22-year-old Alvarez seems born to deliver on the big stage. 

At the World Cup, he’s living out his dream: playing alongside Messi — one of game's all-time greats — in front of fans who are making more noise than any other travelling contingent in Qatar. 

"A huge joy," Alvarez said after Argentina's 2-1 win over Australia in the round of 16 on Saturday. 

"I always try to give my best to help from wherever I play. On the field or being on the bench cheering on my teammates. We are going to go down this path to continue making Argentines happy." 

Alvarez has profited from fellow striker Lautaro Martínez's failure to establish himself as the starting center forward for Argentina. The difference in the two players' form was all too apparent against Australia. 

While Martinez fluffed two big chances late in the game after coming on as a substitute, Alvarez — the man he replaced — scored with his only real opportunity. The goal summed up the type of player he is, and why he is already so treasured by Argentina's passionate fans. 

Allied to his lethal finishing is a relentless work ethic that was demonstrated when Alvarez closed down Mathew Ryan as the Australia goalkeeper dallied on the ball inside his area. Also under pressure from Argentina's Rodrigo De Paul, Ryan took a second touch that was far too heavy and Alvarez nipped in to take the ball off him and shoot on the turn into an unguarded net. 

The goal couldn't have been more different to his first at the World Cup, a curling shot into the far top corner at the end of a sweeping 25-pass move. 

Tap-ins, curlers, link-up play, intense pressing. It's no wonder City manager Pep Guardiola rates Alvarez highly enough to make him the second striker in his squad to Haaland, to such an extent that Guardiola was happy to offload Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling during the last offseason. 

Alvarez and Jesus are similar in the sense that they never give defenders a second's rest. What's different about them is their ability to score goals, with Alvarez appearing a much more natural finisher. 

As for Martinez, he seems to have completely lost his composure in front of goal. One wasteful finish over the crossbar in stoppage time, after being teed up by Messi, kept Australia alive in an absorbing match at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium that had a dramatic ending when Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez produced a smothering save with virtually the last kick of the game. 

If that had gone in, Lautaro Martinez might have been vilified. He was the subject of much chatter among Argentina fans on social media and the metros back to Doha after the match, none of it flattering. 

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni was not adding his voice to the critics. 

"Lautaro has helped us many times so I wouldn’t like to go into detail about that," Scaloni said. "That would be unfair to Lautaro. He will keep on helping us and making us happy." 

Indeed, Martinez has been Scaloni's go-to striker since the coach took charge after the 2018 World Cup initially on a temporary basis. Martinez has scored 21 goals in that time, more than anybody else apart from Messi. 

Now, he is firmly behind Alvarez in the pecking order. 

Alvarez arrived at the World Cup on a high after making a string of starts for City, for the first time since joining from River Plate in July, because of an injury to Haaland. 

Now he's leading the line for Argentina in its bid for a third World Cup title, and to seal Messi's legacy in front of fans who are pushing the team all the way. 

"We will always give our best and support him (Messi) to continue on this path," Alvarez said. 

"We feel at home here," he added. "In all the stadiums we have played, most of the people were from Argentina. You feel their breath and how they sing the whole 90 minutes." 



Former Argentina Coach Sampaoli Takes Over at French Club Rennes

FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )
FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )
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Former Argentina Coach Sampaoli Takes Over at French Club Rennes

FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )
FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )

Former Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli is taking over at French league side Rennes.
The 64-year-old is returning to French soccer following a previous stint with Marseille.
Rennes said late Monday that Sampaoli signed a 1 1/2-year contract, The Associated Press reported.
Sampaoli, who was in charge of Argentina at the 2018 World Cup, replaces Julien Stephan, who was dismissed last week.
Rennes is looking for a jolt after a mediocre spell that saw the team slump to 13th place in the standings, 18 points behind leader Paris Saint-Germain after 11 matches.
“He is a coach who is recognized internationally for his professionalism and humanism,” said Arnaud Pouille, the executive chairman and managing director at Rennes. “He has a strong attachment to his players and staff, and is a loyal and committed man. We need his energy to get the club moving again and to face the competition with determination.”
The much-traveled Sampaoli has also coached clubs in Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Spain and Brazil.
Sampaoli abruptly left Marseille in July 2022 after leading the team back to the Champions League, over a disagreement related to the club's transfers of players.