The Israeli link behind Messi’s first World Cup goal

Lionel Messi is set to open his sixth World Cup on Tuesday night into Wednesday, becoming the first player in history to appear at six editions. Cristiano Ronaldo is due to match that mark the next day. Messi’s Argentina will face Algeria in the tournament opener, while Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is also at a sixth World Cup, though not as a starter in all of them.

The article looks back to Germany 2006, when Argentina crushed Serbia and Montenegro 6-0 in the group stage. Messi, then 19, entered in the 74th minute for Maxi Rodriguez and scored his first World Cup goal in the 88th minute.

That goal carried an Israeli angle. Serbia and Montenegro’s goalkeeper was Dragoslav Jevric, who later played for Maccabi Tel Aviv. The left back chasing Messi on the play was Mladen Krstajic, who would later coach Maccabi Tel Aviv. On the bench for Serbia and Montenegro was Vladimir Stojkovic, who later played for Maccabi Haifa and became Serbia’s first-choice goalkeeper after the country’s split, including at the 2018 World Cup.

Messi’s first World Cup goal was the start of a tally that has reached 13, including goals in two finals and one title. He is tied for fourth place on the all-time World Cup scoring list with France’s Just Fontaine, and in this tournament he will try to close in on record holder Miroslav Klose, who scored 16.