After Argentina versus Nigeria, a journalist approached Lionel Messi and asked him a question. A few days previous, the same man had given the player a piece of red thread, a good luck charm passed along by his wife. In the aftermath of the forward’s fantastic goal, helping Argentina to qualify for the next round, the journalist asked whether Messi remembered the gift.
Lionel Messi and his Argentina side were staring down the face of elimination Tuesday against Nigeria. The game was locked at 1-1 until Marcos Rojo of all people decided to venture into the box and crash a volley home to give La Albiceleste the victory. Rojo's goal also gave us one of the best commentary calls of the World Cup, if not the best.
The first two matches on Tuesday were not very exciting as France and Denmark had a goalless draw to protect their round-of-16 spots and Australia did not come to play. The next two games, however, nearly gave me a heart attack because it was down to the wire for Lionel Messi's survival in the World Cup. Holy sh*t is all I can say about the Argentina match.
Here's the best of the World Cup social media action from Tuesday.
Diego Maradona is having himself one hell of a World Cup. And you know what? It might be just what Argentina needs.
Maradona lived and died with La Albiceleste on Tuesday. Facing elimination, Argentina survived with a 2-1 win over Nigeria thanks to an unlikely savior, though the scapegoat was the same as usual. It was just enough to see Argentina advance in second place in Group D, well behind Croatia, which put Iceland away 2-1.
With Argentina’s back up against the wall in a must-win match to close out Group D, Lionel Messi finally showed up. The Messi goal vs Nigeria put La Albiceleste on top 14 minutes into the game and the reaction from Diego Maradona was priceless.
Messi, who is trying to pass Maradona as Argentina’s all-time greatest player with a World Cup title, made a great run spotted by midfielder Ever Banega. The lofted through ball, the first touch and the finish were all sublime for the Messi goal vs Nigeria.
The final match day for Groups C and D kick off tomorrow. In the morning, Australia will face an already eliminated Peru team. The Socceroos must beat Peru and hope France beats Denmark in addition to making up goal difference. Then Lionel Messi and Argentina will somehow try to find their way into the knockout stage when they take on a Nigeria team who also has a good chance to advance.
Lionel Messi celebrated his 31st birthday today with some light training at Argentina’s camp in Bronnitsy, Russia. The camp has been the subject of wild speculation and remarkable rumors over the last couple days with stories spreading regarding an Argentina player revolt staged in the early hours of Friday morning.
It turns out, Nigeria is more than just a pretty uniform. They’ve got Ahmed Musa.
After looking inept in a loss to Croatia to open the World Cup, the Super Eagles were flying against Iceland. Ahmed Musa scored two goals in a 2-0 win on Friday, succeeding where Lionel Messi and Argentina failed, but at the same time giving hope to La Albiceleste that they can advance through the group stage.
Croatia has just showed us how to win the World Cup. After demolishing Lionel Messi’s Argentina, the Balkan side lectured the planet on how to play the perfect game.
Croatia’s 3-0 victory over Argentina was one of the tournament’s biggest upsets matched only by Mexico’s 1-0 defeat of world champions Germany.
However, El Tri’s victory was nothing short of miraculous.