The FIFA World Cup is currently underway in Qatar, with the best nations in the world battling it out for the famous gold trophy in what is an edition of the tournament like no other. One of those teams hoping to be in contention come the final at the Lusail Stadium on December 18 is two-time winners Argentina, who are the second favourites to win the title behind their fierce rivals Brazil.
Lionel Scaloni’s side have had an uptick in form over the last couple years, as Argentina jetted to the Middle East on the back of a 36-game unbeaten streak and as the Copa America and Finalissima holders. But that has added pressure for them to perform on the biggest stage of them all this winter, and the impending international retirement of Lionel Messi is perhaps another burden — as the entire nation will want to give the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner the send-off he deserves.
So, as we watch on with bated breath to see if La Albiceleste can recover from the shock defeat to Saudi Arabia and win their third World Cup and their first since the Diego Maradona days in 1986, let’s take a look at some of Messi’s best moments at football’s greatest carnival.
2014: Double against Nigeria
With Argentina already securing their place in the knockout stages with victories over Bosnia-Herzegovina (2-1) and Iran (1-0) — Messi scoring in both of those games as he became more favoured in the World Cup Golden Boot odds — the little magician scored a brace against Nigeria in a hard-fought victory that ensured three wins from three in Group F.
Messi made it 1-0 within just a matter of minutes against the Super Eagles in Brazil, getting on the end of Angel Di Maria’s shot which rattled the post — riffling past the goalkeeping and a couple of defenders on the line to ripple the roof of the net.
His second goal of the match was one of the best of the tournament, however. Having been denied from a similar distance earlier, Messi lined up a second free-kick from about 30 yards — and this time Vincent Enyeama had no chance of getting across to the strike as it flew in the top corner.
2018: Messi ends drought with another stunning strike against Nigeria
Four years later, and Messi was the thorn in Nigeria’s side again in the group stages in Russia. Having been held to a 1-1 draw with Iceland in their opening game of Group D before losing 3-0 to Croatia, Argentina needed a victory over the Super Eagles to progress to the knockouts and Messi stepped up to the occasion.
After failing to even register a goal or an assist in the opening games of the group, Messi silenced his doubters with the sixth World Cup of his career — latching on to Ever Banega’s pass over the top of the Nigerian defence, bringing it down with his thigh before coolly finishing past Francis Uzoho with a right-footed shot.
Messi assisted twice in the round of 16 encounter against France, but a certain Kylian Mbappe was unstoppable that day — scoring twice and getting an assist of his own as Les Bleus won 4-3.
2006: Messi announces himself to the world with a goal and an assist against Serbia and Montenegro
Still not a regular for Barcelona at this stage of his career and missing much of the business end of the 2005-06 season due to a torn muscle, the 2006 World Cup was one of the first times Messi ever introduced himself to the wider world of football.
While the tournament perhaps didn’t go as he would have liked, failing to get off the bench in Argentina’s opener against the Ivory Coast and even more controversially against Germany in their quarter-final defeat, his 16-minute cameo in Argentina’s 6-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro was still proof of his quality.
Picking the ball up on the left flank, Messi dribbled into the box and fired a low cross across the face of the goal — which was turned in at the back post by Hernan Crespo. His first ever World Cup goal came 10 minutes later, as Carlos Tevez slid him in behind the defence before he shot low under the keepers’ legs to make it six.
