Izuchukwu Okosi
Lionel Messi was the star of the show as Argentina ran out 3-0 winners against Italy in La Finalissima on Wednesday night.
The Copa America champions and Euro 2020 winners met at Wembley to battle it out for the intercontinental trophy.
The Albiceleste were deserved winners as they struck three times without reply against Roberto Mancini’s team.
Lionel Scaloni’s team were two goals ahead by half-time, with PSG star Messi setting up Inter star Lautaro Martinez for the first goal shortly before the half-hour mark and Angel Di Maria firing home in stoppage time.
Messi got his second assist in the dying seconds of the game when he set up Paulo Dybala who only came off the substitutes bench to make it 3-0.
Manchester City’s incoming attacker Julian Alvarez was also in on the action as he came on to replace Martinez after 84 minutes.
As well as his two assists, Messi was pulling the strings for the Copa America winners, inspiring his side to a big win.
The UEFA Technical Observer Panel declaired: “He controlled the game from start to finish. He showed great skill to make the assist for Lautaro Martinez and more chances for his team-mates, and was unlucky not to score himself.
“He has really put in a masterclass of a performance for the Wembley crowd; it was a joy to watch.”
Meanwhile, Giorgio Chiellini was rewarded in recognition of his exemplary performances with the Italian national team ahead of the game.
The match at Wembley marked the end of the centre-back’s caareer with the Azzurri.
Chiellini bows out with 117 caps for Italy having won Euro 2020 and been part of the team that finished runners-up in the competition in 2012.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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