Both players have been timed among the fastest in the game, with top speeds of around 36.5kpm (22.6 mph), but it is how quickly they get there that makes them different.
Alvarez tweeted that he got carried away and apologised to Messi and the people of Argentina.
Pochettino, who is well aware of Messi's game-changing abilities having worked with the 35-year-old last season, said he was still the best player in the world.
Russia was thrown out of the tournament by FIFA as a sanction for their military operation. They had been due to face Poland in their semi-final.
In the last two World Cup meetings between Argentina and the Netherlands, in the group stage in 2006 and a semi-final in 2014 which the Albiceleste won on penalties, neither side was able to score a goal in normal or extra time.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi said defending champions France and Brazil are the favourites to win the World Cup in Qatar as they have a core group of players who have played together for a long time.
Ghana had always been expected to struggle at this World Cup after an unconvincing qualifying campaign in which a Nigerian goalkeeping howler saw them win a fortunate place in Qatar.
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Portugal could qualify early for the next phase of the World Cup with a game remaining if they beat Uruguay on Monday, a task probably much easier said than done.
Lionel Messi made a rousing debut for Major League Soccer's Inter Miami as he scored a stoppage-time winner to beat Liga MX's Cruz Azul 2-1 on Friday in their Leagues Cup opener in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
New France captain Kylian Mbappe lived up to expectations with two goals in a 4-0 statement home win against the Netherlands.
Saudi Arabia, FIFA's 51st ranked team and who have suffered 5-0 and 8-0 World Cup defeats down the years, roared back to claim an astonishing 2-1 victory that will go down as one of the greatest shocks in any sport ever.
Robert Lewandowski struck the goal that sealed Poland's victory over Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
The football world gathered in the Qatari capital on Friday as the draw ceremony for the World Cup finals got under way with music and dance.
Captain Luca Modric, who with Ivan Perisic and Dejan Lovren forms a high class but ageing core to the team, says they fear no-one and they will have done their homework on the Samurai Blue.
"They have skilled players from a technical standpoint and they are also very quick in attack. We want to control the game, and also the moments when they are in attack."
With 11 of their players in the squad over the age of 30, and a new World Cup cycle on the horizon, change is inevitable. Coach Roberto Martinez has also yet to sign a new contract, with his current deal expiring soon.
Over the course of the next two years, the former England international was able to engineer a turnaround in fortunes for the team, leading them to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals before their run to the final of the Euro 2020 tournament last year.
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Lionel Messi was presented to fans during a glitzy event called 'The Unveil' at Miami's home stadium.
Images from the FIFA World Cup Group G match between Brazil and Switzerland on Monday.
England's Raheem Sterling will head back to Britain on Monday to be with his family, coach Gareth Southgate said, as local media reported a break-in at his home.
What has made Deschamps successful in tournaments, especially at the World Cup since 2018, is not sticking to a particular identity or philosophy which is often the defining feature of big teams.
Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal hailed the efforts of his squad in fighting back from two goals down to force their World Cup quarter-final against Argentina into a penalty shootout even though their ultimate exit proved to be painful.
Lionel Messi says Argentina have felt the presence of the late, great Diego Maradona throughout their World Cup campaign, including on Friday when they beat the Netherlands on penalties to reach the semi-finals.
"We had a crazy coach who gave us instructions and motivated us strongly during halftime," Saudi Arabia midfielder Abdel-Ilah al-Maliki told Al-Kass TV station after the win over Argentina.
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Morocco relied on the usual mixture of North African style, combining committed defence with counter-attacks
The 1-1 draw leaves Germany facing a must-win match against Costa Rica.
The venue has a capacity of 40,000 but at least double that number of people tried to make their way in
Same-sex relationships are illegal in Qatar.
Cristiano Ronaldo said he was living a "beautiful moment" after becoming the first player to score in five men's World Cups as he helped Portugal to a 3-2 victory over Ghana.
English hopes of a run deep into the World Cup took a bit of a bruising on Friday when a lively and high-pressing United States team reduced the youthful stars of their tournament opener to anonymity.
But their inability to close out the game proved costly, allowing Belgium to claw their way back into contention with two goals in five minutes before Nacer Chadli's injury-time winner capped the most thrilling game of the 2018 finals.
Julian Alvarez bagged Argentina's second from close range in the 57th minute after fatal hesitation from Ryan with the ball at his feet following a backpass.
The French in 2002, Italy in 2010, Spain in 2014 and Germany in 2018 all followed their stuttering starts as champions by bombing out in the group stage.
'Of course, our thoughts are with the Iran people, the players and the whole country, but our focus is on this match.'
