If Lionel Messi go lift World Cup dis year, im go do so by defeating European champions Spain – but wetin be im record against di continent? Argentina na di final non-European team wey remain as UEFA dey show im dominance over world football, but can Messi stop World Cup trophy from returning to di continent?
For Messi career so far, im don face European nation 20 times for World Cup, with im first coming against Germany for di 2006 quarterfinals. Of those 20 games, Messi don win 10 of dem, with three more wins coming via penalty shootout. For total, Messi get 65% win record against European nations, including penalty shootouts.
Interestingly, Messi only get winning record against one of di teams wey im don face more than once – and dat na Switzerland. Argentina most recent win over di Swiss for di quarter-final na di second time of two attempts wey Messi don beat dem. Im bogey team na Germany, wey im don play three times and fail to win. Di Germans win for quarter-final stage for 2006 and via penalties for 2010. Dem then famously beat Messi Argentina for World Cup final thanks to extra-time goal from Mario Gotze.
Alongside Germany, Messi don play Netherlands di most – all three encounters end for draw. Two of dem go to penalties, with Argentina winning for quarter-final of 2022 and semi-final of 2014. Di group game for 2006 end goalless.
Messi don play France on two occasions, but im no don beat dem for normal time. Argentina defeat France for 2022 final via penalties while France beat Argentina 4-3 for 2018 round of 16. Di final team wey Messi don face more than once na Croatia, with di teams split on win apiece. Messi victory come for 2022 semi-final, while Croatia win for 2018 group stage match.
Messi don play England, Poland, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium and Austria once and beat dem for those encounters. Im don also play Iceland once, wey end for draw. As for im goal contributions, Messi get total of eight goals and nine assists against European teams. Di most wey im don score for one game na two against France for 2022 final, while im don score and assist for di same game against Netherlands, Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro.
