Scotland’s World Cup campaign suffered a setback as they were beaten 1-0 by Morocco in Boston, with Steve Clarke’s side struggling to find a way past the Africa Cup of Nations holders.

Ismael Saibari settled the contest inside the opening two minutes, lashing in what proved to be the only goal of the match and leaving Scotland chasing the game from start to finish.

Clarke’s men found it difficult to break down a well-organised Moroccan side and rarely threatened in front of goal, with clear-cut chances few and far between.

There was also drama in the box on more than one occasion, with Scottish fans believing they should have been awarded a penalty on more than one occasion. Those moments have since become the main talking point from the match, with the ITV panel left divided on whether Scotland should have had something to show for their efforts.

Christina Unkel Slams Missed VAR Call

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/David Butler Ii

McTominay drove into the Moroccan box before being tackled from behind by Neil El Aynaoui. VAR ruled that the midfielder had got a touch on the ball, though replays appeared to tell a different story. ITV referee analyst Christina Unkel was adamant a penalty should have been given, as quoted by The Mirror:

“We saw that second replay there and exactly what I was looking for, there was no contact on that ball. There is a trip up from behind, contact on the left lower leg.

“For this, I do think there is a missed incident from the VAR to recommend a penalty as well as the referee to not make a decision on penalty. I know this referee is calling a more physical game but it is a very clear penalty in my opinion.”

Fellow pundit Ally McCoist agreed. “I did say when I watched it second time there is a challenge on the left leg. But I did say I’m enjoying the referee allowing the game to go. However, Christina is right, he did get that one wrong.”

Roy Keane and Ange Postecoglou Disagree

Not everyone in the studio was convinced, though. Roy Keane felt McTominay went down too easily, saying:

Ange Postecoglou backed his fellow pundit’s view: “The Moroccan penalty gets his leg out, but I don’t think that’s enough to be a penalty. He does get across him, but not for a penalty, I think he was going down anyway.”

It wasn’t the only contentious moment of the match either. Early in the second half, John McGinn went down under a challenge from the same Moroccan defender after breaking into the box, but referee Ilgiz Tantashev again waved play on.

Scotland now face a tough task to reach the knockout stages, with Brazil up next in their final group game on the 24th of June.

Lionel Messi has made scoring wonder goals a formality throughout his remarkable career. If you were to rank the 30 greatest goals that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has ever netted, you could rest assured that most world-class players could only dream of scoring one of them.

Particularly during his pomp, Messi had an uncanny ability to dribble past opponents like they weren’t even there – and that led to him scoring a truly astonishing number of individual goals. This is just one of many reasons that has led to many regarding the Argentine as the greatest player of all time. He even had some of the incredible teammates he shared a dressing room with during his career in complete awe at times.

This is proven by Thierry Henry’s recalling of his favourite goal scored by his former Barcelona colleague. The Frenchman is one of the best players to have graced a football pitch in the past 20 years, meaning his praise is hard to earn and very complimentary to earn.

Great Goalscorer and Scorer of Great Goals

Messi has scored a host of iconic stunners

Everyone remembers the Diego Maradona-esque run against Getafe and that might well endure as his finest-ever strike, but that booming zenith of Messi’s career was jam-packed full of goals where he breezed past multiple defenders. And that’s why Messi is arguably completely unique in the fact that one of his so-called forgotten goals could possibly be heralded by somebody as one of the greatest that they’ve ever seen.

Not just any old person, either, because none other than Henry considers a stunner that you don’t necessarily see populating top ten lists to be the finest Messi strike he’s ever laid his eyes upon. Yep, the man widely regarded as the greatest player in Premier League history has a slightly unorthodox choice when it comes to the GOAT’s best-ever goal – although it makes complete sense when the Frenchman breaks it down.

Henry on His Favourite Messi Goal

Frenchman blown away by goal that wasn’t ‘normal’

Speaking during the 2018 film ‘Take The Ball, Pass The Ball,’ Messi’s former teammate recalled an astonishing finish from the Argentine wizard during a La Liga clash with Malaga in the 2008-09 season. And more so than Messi’s goal against Getafe, Henry felt particularly blown away by how Barcelona‘s all-time record scorer left everybody for dead with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it footwork.

Henry explained: “The best goal I’ve seen him score was against Malaga at home because that defied logic what he did. Diagonal ball, he controls it on his chest, runs at full speed. First player goes, the second player is just behind. He takes another step, that player can clear the ball.

Watch the goal in all its glory below:

Leo Messi – A Once-in-a-Lifetime Talent

You know that your body of work is mind-blowing when you can score a wonder goal that simultaneously gets lost in the shuffle and is considered by Henry as the greatest he’s ever seen. And you can easily see why Henry felt particularly enamored with that often forgotten Messi strike, because to be so masterfully in control of the ball against so many opponents and with so little time is beyond our comprehension.

We really are blessed that when the sad, sad day comes when Messi hangs up his boots, we can be safe in the knowledge he’s left us with so much to remember him by that even moments of generational genius can slip our minds. He really has been a once-in-a-lifetime talent.

Henry: Don’t Try and Copy – He is Messi

Only Messi can get away with walking during matches

Henry was asked about his experience of playing and training alongside Messi at Barcelona by Gary Lineker on the Rest Is Football podcast. The Arsenal legend, who played alongside the Argentine at Camp Nou between 2007-2010, admits the diminutive genius was on a totally different planet to everyone else.

He said: “I’ve seen a lot. I, myself, did a lot. This guy, it is not normal. I know people will say ‘he walks…’. Do you know how hard it is to carry a ball on every single action?” Lineker added: “It’s gruelling.” Henry continued: “Every. Single. Action.

Watch that clip below:

Messi Has no Plans to Retire

Despite his advancing years, he plans to continue playing

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Jay Biggerstaff

Messi is now 38 years old and enjoying his football again after leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Inter Miami. While Qatar 2022 was expected to be Messi’s final appearance at a World Cup, Messi was still playing at a high enough level to represent La Albiceleste at the next showpiece international tournament in 2026, which was held in Mexico, Canada, and the United States – where he now resides.

Asked about his plans for the future during a 2024 interview, per SPORT, Messi said: “I haven’t thought about it and I don’t want to think about it either. I want to continue enjoying what I do. I took an important step leaving Europe behind. I don’t want to think about the next step, I want to enjoy what I like most, which is playing. It’s a job that I love, I’m lucky. I have responsibilities. I don’t know what I will do, I like everything related to football, I like being with kids, teaching, also being a sporting director, but I don’t know where I’m going to go.”

For a period, there was no better playmaker in world football than Mesut Ozil. After impressing at Werder Bremen, he earned a big-money move to Real Madrid and later joined Arsenal, proving to be a true ‘assist king’ as he won major honours with the two European giants.

With the DFB-Pokal, a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey win, and four FA Cups under his belt, the best moment of his career came in 2014 as he won the World Cup in Brazil with Germany. The five-time national team Player of the Year was a key part of that team, starting every game across the tournament.

For many, he ranks among the best passers in football history, making Ozil a legend of the modern era. There was, however, one Englishman who really impressed the German over the years.

Ozil Was Impressed by 120-Cap England Hero

Across his career, Ozil took on Manchester United 14 times. Those encounters appeared to help him form a strong respect for Wayne Rooney. The iconic Englishman scored 53 goals in 120 games for the Three Lions, having also won five Premier League titles during his time at Old Trafford.

He left a big impression on Ozil, who referred to Rooney as ‘as one of the best’ ever in English football history when he decided to retire in 2021. Indeed, the German posted a picture of himself and his former rival, with the caption:

That wasn’t the only time he praised the former Man Utd ace either, as he also later wrote online: “One of the greatest players in Premier League history and English national team.

“He’s been world-class at his peak. And I think he will be a great coach as well!”

Wayne Rooney Wanted Ozil at Man Utd

It turns out, the feeling was mutual as Rooney once even suggested Manchester United sign the German icon. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it didn’t go down too well with manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who didn’t like being told what to do. The iconic coach may have regretted that, but he didn’t let that show as he recalled the incident in his autobiography:

“I told him it was his job to play and perform. My job was to pick the correct teams. And so far I had been getting it right.

“Well, he was not on our radar at the time. Ozil when at Werder Bremen played wide right, then towards the end of the season played him off the front. He went to South Africa and did very well. But wasn’t on our radar. But I explained to Wayne and we get most of our decisions right.”

It certainly would have been exciting to see Ozil share the pitch with Rooney at Old Trafford, but Arsenal fans will be delighted that Ferguson was too stubborn to take on Rooney’s advice.