World Cup 2022: Messi vs Lewandowski: High tension showdown with qualification on the line

Robert Lewandowski and Lionel Messi will be facing each other for the fourth time, as Poland is set to take on Argentina in the two teams' last group-stage game on Wednesday.

The two men have faced each other three times, with Lewandowski recording two wins and Messi having celebrated one. Bayern Munich and Barcelona managed a win each in the 2015 Champions League semi-finals, but five years later the Bavarians thrashed the Catalans 8-2 in the same tournament.

Messi has scored eight World Cup goals, while Lewandowski netted for the first time in the major tournament in Poland's 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia.

The Poland international moved to Barcelona in the summer and he has scored 18 goals so far for the Blaugrana. As for Messi, he netted as many as 664 goals for the LaLiga Santander giants before departing to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

"It's a pleasure to be able to see [Lewandowski] up close, like any fan," Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said in the press conference prior the game.

"The question of who is better is tricky. Robert must be enjoyed, we must not compare him with anyone."

For his part, Poland boss Czeslaw Michniewicz stressed the match was not a just a duel of two stars between Lewandowski and Messi.

"About this head-to-head, I think, when we saw the draw and we got Argentina, everyone expected this match because of that duel," he noted.

"But you have to remember that this is a Poland vs Argentina, it's not a Leo Messi versus Robert Lewandowski. They are two fabulous players but I'm not going to say who is the best, that's not the point here."

Controversy sparked last year after the 2020 Ballon d'Or awards were cancelled due to the pandemic and the 2021 prize was handed to Messi.

Lewandowski was the favorite to win the 2020 edition after scoring 40 goals with Bayern Munich that season. In 2021, Messi won the Copa America, his first major title with his country.

During the 2021 Ballon d'Or gala, Messi made clear that the 2020 should have been handed to the Poland international instead of being cancelled.

"It is an honor to compete with Lewandowski," Messi said.

"You were the winner of last year's Ballon d'Or and France Football should give it to you. You should have it at home too."

The Polish striker was not moved by Messi's remarks and expressed his unease afterwards.

"I would like it to be a sincere statement from a great player and not empty words," he noted.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rq3RnJhnm5%2BifKa6jrCmq6SUYrC2vI5rZ2tqX2Z%2BcH%2BPaG1scGdqrqWxkW9vnmuVl65zfJeba29vYGO1tbnL