Argentina 2-1 Nigeria: 5 Talking Points as Argentina qualify for Round of 16, World Cup 2018

#2 Lionel Messi is finally liberated

Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 14th minute

The change in formation worked almost immediately with Gonzalo Higuain dropping deep to attract the central defenders, allowing Messi to make the run and score a fantastic goal in the 14th minute from an equally delightful Ever Banega lob over the defence.

He stayed onside, made a perfect run, controlled the ball (as it comes in from behind him) first with his left thigh and then with his left foot before firing it home with his right foot.

Messi had finally arrived.

Lionel Messi becomes the first player to have scored a #WorldCup goal as a teenager, in his twenties and in his thirties #NGAARG #ARG

— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) June 26, 2018

That wasn't all he did. Playing on the right, he was able to find pockets of space when Mercado looked to overlap on the right. He was almost perennially stationed near the half-line to keep the Nigerian wide men busy and that allowed Messi to pull strings in a deep role.

He managed to release Higuain in one sweeping move that took out all defenders and it was the brave Francis Uzoho who literally put his head on the line to make a save.

Messi was also busy cutting in to use his favoured left foot and even hit the post from a free-kick that looked destined for the back of the net.