Lionel Messi and Ibrahomovic are two of the finest footballers to lace up a pair of football boots. The duo are looking forward to achieving a significant milestone or two in their careers.
Exhibition game with Curaçao can become historic for Messi
For Lionel Messi, the exhibition games with Panama and Curaçao can have extra meaning. The Argentine attacker has two milestones within reach.
Panama is the sparring partner of Argentina on Thursday, which will host Curaçao four days later. These are the first matches of the Albiceleste on home soil after winning the world title.
Messi can give the practice matches extra color with goals. He also achieved two milestones in his career. As an international, the counter is 98 in terms of hits. The hundred for the Albiceleste therefore beckons for Messi.
If his production as an international is added to his goals for his clubs Barcelona (672) and PSG (29), the counter comes to 799. In short, one more hit against Panama or Curaçao and Messi has also completed the eight hundred goal mark.
European Championship record is not safe for eager Ibrahimovic
Speaking about legends of the game, smashing records, Zlatan Ibrahimovic recently made his comeback as a basic player in Serie A and immediately shot a record, which the Swede hopes to do next year. The AC Milan striker is already talking about participating in the European Championship in Germany.
After recovering from a knee injury, Ibrahimovic was also immediately called up for the Swedish national team. Almost a year ago he played his last international match, but the Milan star is far from finished. He said that in a Zlatanesque way.
“At my age you can’t talk about the future, we only look at the present. Even if I am the past, the present and the future,” he said to the Swedish team.
Nevertheless, Ibrahimovic discussed a possible participation in the tournament for which Sweden hopes to qualify. The European Championship qualifying period starts against Belgium and Azerbaijan. “If I feel good and I am chosen by the national coach, I will help him and the team. I will always do my best for my country,” he adds.
If he actually plays at the European Championship in 2024, he will pulverize various records. At 39 years and 91 days, Lothar Matthäus is the oldest outfield player to ever score minutes at a European Championship, Gábor Király holds the overall record since the Hungarian goalie stood against Belgium at the 2016 European Championship as a 40-year-old.
