Saudi Arabia manager takes a dig at Argentina captain Lionel Messi and questions his motivation after stunning upset

Saudi Arabia head coach Herve Renard believes Lionel Messi's motivation was not as high as it should've been ahead of Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup opener.

Renard's men took center stage on Tuesday (November 22) by clinching one of the greatest World Cup upsets of all time. Having trailed 1-0 after 10 minutes, the Green Falcons scored twice in five second-half minutes to end La Albiceleste's 36-game unbeaten run dating back to 2019.

Speaking after the game, Renard questioned Lionel Messi's drive for games such as this one, saying (as quoted by GOAL):

"Imagine Lionel Messi is playing versus Saudi Arabia. He will say they have to start well and win but you know the motivation is not like it would be playing Brazil. This is normal."

The former Morocco and Ivory Coast head coach acknowledged that the result was massive for Saudi Arabia. However, he also emphasized the need to focus on their upcoming games, saying:

"We have made history for Saudi football and it will stay for ever, that is most important, but we also need to look forward because we still have two very difficult games to play."

Congratulations to the team and the staff for this game, I dedicate this victory to the Saudi people. We are waiting for your support next match! 🇸🇦🦅💚

#HervéRenard #SaudiArabia #WorldCup #Alhamdulilah https://t.co/FOUts999gr

Their memorable victory over Argentina was commemorated by their king declaring November 23 a national holiday (via The Guardian). It marked the first-ever win by an Asian team over La Albiceleste at the World Cup after four previous unsuccessful attempts.

How exactly did Lionel Messi fare for Argentina against Saudi Arabia?

Lionel Messi was understandably expected to lead Argentina to victory in their first game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Many thought Lionel Scaloni's men had more than enough artillery to beat Saudi Arabia.

Messi made his mark on the game by converting a 10th-minute penalty to give his side the lead. The Paris Saint-Germain superstar had another goal ruled out for offside in the 23rd minute and saw the flag raised yet again after assisting Lautaro Martinez six minutes later.

⚠️ | QUICK STAT

Lionel Messi for Argentina in 2022:

⚽️ v Venezuela
🚫 v Ecuador
🅰️🅰️ v Italy
⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️ v Estonia
⚽️⚽️ v Honduras
⚽️⚽️ v Jamaica
⚽️🅰️ v UAE
⚽️ v Saudi Arabia

Cool finish from the spot to put La Albiceleste ahead. 💫

#ARGKSA #Qatar2022 #FIFAWorldCup https://t.co/s4N19hZmwf

However, Messi, like many of his teammates, seemingly wilted after Saudi Arabia's twin strikes. The Green Falcons surrounded him with defenders, drastically reducing his time on the ball, and he couldn't impact the game as he would have wanted to. He also couldn't force the opposition keeper into any difficult saves.

Messi ultimately ended the game with just two successful dribbles and three key passes, while completing 80% of his passes. While his stats don't make for bad reading, the Argentina captain couldn't bring his best self to the fore with the match on the line.