Messi has revealed he doesn't know this present crop of Nigerian national team footballers but maintains it will be a competitive game.
Lionel Messi and Vincent Enyeama
Argentina playmaker, Lionel Messi has revealed that the present crop of the Super Eagles of Nigeria are not known to him, but is aware they are a strong side that can cause problems for any opponent.
Both teams clash on June 26 in the last game of group D at the 2018 FIFA World Cup at Saint Petersburg, a result that Messi says won’t be as important as the Iceland and Croatia encounters which the South Americans are aiming to win before facing their Africa opponents.
“It will be important to start strongly. Iceland did well in their last tournament so the first match will not be comfortable. But these are the ones to win if you don’t want the next matches to be even more complicated.”
"We don’t know so much about Nigeria but the African teams are normally compact, tough and strong. So it will be no walkover,” Messi told UK tabliod, Express.co.uk.
“We know it won’t be easy but I’m certain that Argentina has a squad capable of being a champion in Russia. If the players all believe the same then we can be contenders.”
Argentina and Nigeria will be meeting for the fifth time at the World Cup with Nigeria yet to win the La Albiceleste in previous outings.