An incredible decade-old photo of a young Julian Alvarez meeting Lionel Messi has gone viral.
The pair combined to fire Argentina into a sixth World Cup final with a 3-0 win over Croatia on Wednesday morning (AEDT), The Sun reports.
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Alvarez, 22, won a first-half penalty which Messi later converted.
The Manchester City star then got a goal of his own, finishing off an astonishing solo run, likened to Diego Maradona’s in 1986.
Messi then twisted defender of the tournament Josko Gvardiol into a new dimension in the second half before putting the ball on a place for Alvarez to net his brace.
As the pair dismantled 2018 finalists Croatia, a decade-old photo resurfaced.
A young Alvarez clearly couldn’t believe he managed to snap a pic with his idol.
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Now, ten years later, he is trying to help Messi finally earn an elusive World Cup winners’ medal, at the final attempt.
The City star now has four goals in six games at the tournament.
Argentina will play current World Champions France or surprise package Morocco on Sunday.
Les Bleus take on the North African side on Wednesday.
However, Morocco are yet to concede a goal at the hands of an opposition player.
They have conceded just one goal, and it came from one of their own in Nayef Aguerd.
– This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission.