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Messi’s sidekick Julián Álvarez flourishing at the World Cup

Published

2 years ago

December 4, 2022

Messi’s sidekick Julián Álvarez flourishing at the World Cup

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — This season has been fairly an training for Julián Álvarez.

From being the understudy to Erling Haaland in his first 12 months at Manchester Metropolis to being the sidekick to Lionel Messi for Argentina on the World Cup, Álvarez is studying from the most important stars in soccer.

He’s on the trail to turning into one himself.

Two begins, two objectives. How about that in your first World Cup?

As somebody who as soon as scored six objectives in a single match within the Copa Libertadores, the 22-year-old Álvarez appears born to ship on the massive stage.

On the World Cup, he’s residing out his dream: enjoying alongside Messi — certainly one of recreation’s all-time greats — in entrance of followers who’re making extra noise than every other travelling contingent in Qatar.

“An enormous pleasure,” Álvarez stated after Argentina’s 2-1 win over Australia within the spherical of 16 on Saturday.

“I at all times attempt to give my greatest to assist from wherever I play. On the sphere or being on the bench cheering on my teammates. We’re going to go down this path to proceed making Argentines comfortable.”

Álvarez has profited from fellow striker Lautaro Martínez’s failure to determine himself because the beginning heart ahead for Argentina. The distinction within the two gamers’ kind was all too obvious towards Australia.

Whereas Martinez fluffed two massive probabilities late within the recreation after approaching as an alternative, Álvarez — the person he changed — scored along with his solely actual alternative. The aim summed up the kind of participant he’s, and why he’s already so treasured by Argentina’s passionate followers.

Allied to his deadly ending is a relentless work ethic that was demonstrated when Álvarez closed down Mathew Ryan because the Australia goalkeeper dallied on the ball inside his space. Additionally beneath strain from Argentina’s Rodrigo De Paul, Ryan took a second contact that was far too heavy and Álvarez nipped in to take the ball off him and shoot on the flip into an unguarded internet.

The aim couldn’t have been extra totally different to his first on the World Cup, a curling shot into the far high nook on the finish of a sweeping 25-pass transfer.

Faucet-ins, curlers, link-up play, intense urgent. It’s no surprise Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola charges Álvarez extremely sufficient to make him the second striker in his squad to Haaland, to such an extent that Guardiola was comfortable to dump Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling over the last offseason.

Álvarez and Jesus are comparable within the sense that they by no means give defenders a second’s relaxation. What’s totally different about them is their means to attain objectives, with Álvarez showing a way more pure finisher.

As for Martinez, he appears to have utterly misplaced his composure in entrance of aim. One wasteful end over the crossbar in stoppage time, after being teed up by Messi, saved Australia alive in an absorbing match at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium that had a dramatic ending when Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez produced a smothering save with just about the final kick of the sport.

If that had gone in, Lautaro Martinez may need been vilified. He was the topic of a lot chatter amongst Argentina followers on social media and the metros again to Doha after the match, none of it flattering.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni was not including his voice to the critics.

“Lautaro has helped us many occasions so I wouldn’t like to enter element about that,” Scaloni stated. “That might be unfair to Lautaro. He’ll carry on serving to us and making us comfortable.”

Certainly, Martinez has been Scaloni’s go-to striker for the reason that coach took cost after the 2018 World Cup initially on a brief foundation. Martinez has scored 21 objectives in that point, greater than anyone else other than Messi.

Now, he’s firmly behind Álvarez within the pecking order.

Álvarez arrived on the World Cup on a excessive after making a string of begins for Metropolis, for the primary time since becoming a member of from River Plate in July, due to an harm to Haaland.

Now he’s main the road for Argentina in its bid for a 3rd World Cup title, and to seal Messi’s legacy in entrance of followers who’re pushing the group all the way in which.

“We are going to at all times give our greatest and assist him (Messi) to proceed on this path,” Álvarez stated.

“We really feel at house right here,” he added. “In all of the stadiums we’ve got performed, most people have been from Argentina. You’re feeling their breath and the way they sing the entire 90 minutes.”

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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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AP World Cup protection: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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World

Italian state railways plans 1.3 bln euro investment in solar plant

Published

3 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Italian state railways plans 1.3 bln euro investment in solar plant

Italian state railways Ferrovie dello Stato plans to invest 1.3 billion euros ($1.36 billion) in a photovoltaic plant with an initial 1 gigawatt (GW) capacity that would cover 19% of its energy needs by 2029, the CEO said in a newspaper interview.

World

Christmas in Puerto Rico is a 45-day celebration with caroling, festive decorations, family feasts and more

Published

4 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Christmas in Puerto Rico is a 45-day celebration with caroling, festive decorations, family feasts and more

Christmas, Navidad in Puerto Rico, extends far beyond Dec. 25.

The island proudly proclaims itself as having the “longest holiday season in the world,” according to the website Discover Puerto Rico.

On average, the holiday festivities in Puerto Rico last about 45 days, per the source, commencing right after Thanksgiving, and stretching all the way through mid-January.

The Christmas season in Puerto Rico typically lasts around 45 days. (iStock)

HOW TO SAY ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS’ IN 10 LANGUAGES TO FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD

The holiday season in Puerto Rico is full of rich traditions beloved by families.

One tradition those who visit Puerto Rico will immediately notice during the holiday season is decorations.

In Puerto Rico, decorations are typically put up by Thanksgiving, and kept up until the season concludes in mid-January, with opportune picture moments at every corner.

Parrandas, Christmas caroling, is a holiday staple.

17 SECRET TRAVEL TIPS FOR FALL AND WINTER THAT AREN’T SO SECRET AFTER ALL

Carolers choose houses of family and friends to visit, typically starting around 10 p.m., performing aguinaldos (traditional Christmas songs), with not only their voices, but often with instruments as well, according to Discover Puerto Rico.

The group you begin caroling with is likely not the same group you end with.

In Puerto Rico, when carolers visit a house, they’ll often stop inside for conversation, food and drink before moving to the next residence.

Coquito is a popular beverage enjoyed during the holiday season in Puerto Rico. Coconut, vanilla and rum are among the ingredients. (Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

Usually, the residences of the house visited will join the group for the next house, according to Discover Puerto Rico.

CHRISTMAS TREES IN GERMANY WERE DECORATED WITH APPLES INSTEAD OF ORNAMENTS IN THE 1600S FOR ‘ADAM AND EVE DAY’

A night of serenading loved ones can last quite a while, often stretching into the early morning hours of the following day, according to the source.

The biggest day of the holiday season in Puerto Rico actually isn’t Christmas, but instead, the night before.

In Puerto Rico, Dec. 24 is Nochebuena. On that day, loved ones gather for the exchange of gifts, caroling and a large feast.

Many families will also attend a midnight Mass on the day, known as Misa de Gallo.

FLIGHT ATTENDANTS REVEAL THE SURPRISING DAY TO TRAVEL AHEAD OF THE CHRISTMAS RUSH

After Christmas passes, the festivities go on in Puerto Rico.

Another big event in the holiday lineup is Three Kings Day on Jan. 6, a holiday that “commemorates the visit that the Three Wise Men paid to Jesus after his birth,” according to Discover Puerto Rico.

On the eve of the day, children fill up a shoebox with grass to be left for camels to munch on while the Three Kings leave behind gifts for them, according to PuertoRico.com.

For a particularly festive Three Kings Day, Juana Díaz is the place to go, as it hosts the largest celebration in Puerto Rico for the holiday. In Juana Díaz, there is an annual festival and parade in honor of Three Kings Day that brings together over 25,000 people every year, according to Discover Puerto Rico.

Gifts are primarily exchanged between loved ones on Christmas Eve in Puerto Rico. (iStock)

Then, eight days later is Octavitas, a post-holiday celebration where families get together and celebrate one last time for the season.

The end of the holiday season is marked with the San Sebastián Street Festival.

This festival, spanning over multiple days, takes place in Old San Juan, and is filled with live music, dancing, shopping and parades.

Ashlyn Messier is a writer for Fox News Digital.

World

Small plane crashes into Brazil town popular with tourists, killing 10

Published

5 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Small plane crashes into Brazil town popular with tourists, killing 10

Twin-engine plane crashed in largely residential neighborhood of Gramado shortly after takeoff, authorities say.

A small plane has crashed into a tourist hotspot in southern Brazil, killing all 10 people on board and injuring more than a dozen people on the ground, officials have said.

The twin-engine Piper PA-42-1000 hit the chimney of a home and the second floor of a different house before crashing into a shop in a largely residential neighbourhood of Gramado shortly after takeoff from Canela, Brazil’s Civil Defense agency said on Sunday.

Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite told a news conference that the aircraft’s owner and pilot, Luiz Claudio Galeazzi, was killed along with nine members of his family.

Leite said that 17 people on the ground were injured, 12 of whom were still receiving treatment in hospital.

Galeazzi’s company, Galeazzi & Associados, confirmed that its CEO and Galeazzi’s wife and three daughters had died in the crash.

“Luiz Galeazzi will be forever remembered for his dedication to his family and for his remarkable career as a leader of Galeazzi & Associados,” the company said in a post on LinkedIn.

“In this moment of immense pain, Galeazzi & Associados is deeply grateful for the expressions of solidarity and affection received from friends, colleagues and the community. We also sympathize with all those affected by the accident in the region.”

Gramado, located in the Serra Gaucha mountains, is a popular destination for vacationers, especially during the Christmas season.

The crash comes a little more than a year after Brazil suffered its worst air disaster in nearly two decades when a twin-engine plane crashed in the southeastern city of Vinhedo, killing all 62 people on board.