Messi Scores Two Goals Against Nigeria to Tie Neymar at the World Cup

World Cup 2014

Lionel Messi is proving his critics wrong at this year’s FIFA World Cup

The 37-year-old Argentine soccer star – his country’s team captain – has lit up the World Cup stage with four goals in his first three games, matching Brazil’s Neymar, his fellow teammate at FC Barcelona, for the most goals so far.

Lionel Messi vs. Nigeria

Messi, who has had to contend with critics who say he never delivers when playing in an Argentina jersey, has now scored more times in this tournament than his previous two World Cups combined.

Messi’s wwo goals against Nigeria in Wednesday’s 3-2 victory helped Argentina secure the top spot in Group F and move the team into the Round of 16.

“Messi is one heck of a player,” Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi told reporters. “You can’t take that away from him. He’s blessed. I think there are other players in the Argentina squad who are very strong, but Messi is from Jupiter.”

Messi left Argentina for Spain at the age of 13 — a move which led many in his homeland to question whether he had taken on a Catalan identity by the time he grew into one of the world’s greats.

That myth will surely be extinguished should Messi lead his country to its first World Cup triumph since 1986 — and the signs are increasingly encouraging.

He has now scored 42 goals in 88 international appearances while playing with an energy which suggests he may have been saving his best for last following a relatively poor season at Barcelona, which was interrupted by injury.

His last-gasp goal which secured a 1-0 win over a valiant Iran was a moment of magic which will long be remembered.

That goal, which came just moments after Diego Maradona — arguably Argentina’s greatest ever player — had left the stadium, appeared to signal his arrival as the nation’s new hero.

Messi, who turned 27 on Tuesday, said the perfect birthday gift would be the World Cup title — and given his recent performances, it looks like that’s quite possible.

Messi’s Late Goal Kicks Argentina Into the World Cup Round of 16

World Cup 2014

It came late in the game, but Lionel Messi still performed a stunning magic trick to prove why he’s commonly ranked as the world’s best soccer player.

The 26-year-old Argentinean footballer, a four-time Ballon d’Orwinner, finally found a way through Iran’s defensive wall with an awe-inspiring goal in stoppage time on Saturday to lead Argentina toa tense 1-0 victory, earning his team a place in the FIFA World Cup round of 16.

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Iran had defended solidly throughout the game and took the match to Argentina in the second half, creating several chances to win the Group F game and cause a tournament sensation.

But Iran was punished for those missed chances when Messi picked up the ball about 20 meters out and smacked a shot into the left-hand side.

“In the first half, we had four or five clear chances to score a goal, and in the second half they complicated things for us with counterattacks,” Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella said, “but having Messi resolved everything.”

It was another instance of Messi’s brilliance, and showed why he’s been voted world player of the year four times. Messi, getting a rare touch, quickly moved the ball toward his dangerous left foot and fired a curling shot just beyond the reach of the diving goalkeeper and into the left corner of the net.

“When I saw that I had scored I was very happy, because we were in added time already and wanted to qualify for the next phase,” Messi said.

Up until that point, he had been kept quiet by Iran’s stoic defending, while Argentina had at times been exposed to counterattacks.

“It was a difficult game to be honest,” Messi said. “They were able to close up at the back, so it was difficult for us to break down the defence. It was very hot for us.”

Iran had several chances to win it, especially in the second half. The best came in the 67th minute, when midfielder Ashkan Dejagah’s powerful header from close range was tipped just over the bar by Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero.

“We know that it would be a difficult, tense match,” Romero said. “Thank God I could get my hand on the ball and it didn’t go in. Messi then rubbed his magic lamp and we won.”