Lionel Messi knows he must deliver for Argentina against Iceland after Cristiano Ronaldo’s heroics against Spain
The Barcelona star will captain the 2014 World Cup runners-up against the European minnows later today
LIONEL Messi already knew he was carrying the hopes of Argentina on his shoulders.
But you can bet the little genius will have woken in Moscow this morning knowing he is under even more pressure to deliver than he had been before Cristiano Ronaldo stood up to be counted.
Ronaldo’s stunning free-kick leveller to complete the first hat-trick of the 2018 World Cup only served to reignite the debate that has consumed football for a decade or more.
You do not have to be a Barcelona or Real Madrid fan to take sides, either.
When it comes to the simple question of “Who is the greatest player on the planet?” there are no shades of grey.
It is black or white. You are either a Messi man, or a CR7-sider.
Ronaldo and Messi have shared the Ballon d’Or since 2008. Five wins each.
But Ronaldo has won the last two. He has already won the Champions League again this year, an achievement that probably means more than Messi’s latest La Liga crown.
And after the Portuguese superstar demonstrated sheer greatness once again as he arced that dead ball round the wall and into David De Gea’s postage stamp top corner, the heat is even more on Messi to stand tall against Iceland in the Luzhniki this afternoon.
Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli has been accused privately by members of his squad, and publicly by the country’s media, of bending to Messi’s wishes.
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Messi likes Marcos Rojo and Sergio Aguero. Both were in the team announced by Sampaoli at his press conference yesterday.
But he does not like Paulo Dybala too much. And he will be on the bench.
And Messi does not like Inter Milan’s Serie A joint-top scorer Mauro Icardi at all. So guess who got left out of Argentina’s 23?
Of course, when you have a genius at your disposal, it’s a bit of a no-brainer to give him what he wants.
Messi, though, knows he has to deliver, not just for his country, but for himself.
The pair of them occasionally try to pretend they are not mortal enemies. But nobody is kidded.
So when Messi saw Ronaldo do what Ronaldo does in Sochi last night, it was probably bad news for Iceland - because he WILL be out to show he is even better.
That’s probably good news for Argentina. And great news for those watching round the world.
We could be at the beginning of the final personal battle between football’s two greatest warriors.
Winner takes all, maybe. Fantastic!!!