No mercy for Messi from Nigeria who look to make it Leo's last World Cup match

From Macdara Ferris in St. Petersburg

Nigeria are looking to beat Argentina for the very first time in World Cup action on Tuesday evening and if they can do so it might just precipitate the international retirement of 31-year-old Lionel Messi.

Nigeria have faced Argentina in four of their previous five World Cup appearances but have lost to them on each occasion. A win in St. Petersburg will propel the Super Eagles into the knock out stages of the competition and dump Messi & Co. out of the tournament.

The Nigeria manager Gernot Rohr said in Monday’s pre-match press conference that while his team are focused on their own game, there is “no mercy in football” in relation to Messi and his quest to win the World Cup.

“We love this great player, me and all my team,” said the Nigerian manager about Messi. “The question is for us to qualify rather than it being his last World Cup game. We aren’t here to watch him play, we are here to get a result.

“We are professional and we have to defend the colours of Nigeria. In football there is no mercy. Everyone wants to win. You cannot give any gifts even if you like him so much.”

“We want it to make it his last World cup game,” said 26-year-old Nigerian defender Brian Idowu when asked about putting Messi and his struggling Argentina side out of the tournament.

“As much as we love to watch Messi, he is playing against us so we only have one option. We don’t worry about (their instability). We don’t focus on that but on ourselves.”

It is a homecoming for Idowu this week. The Nigerian international parents met at St. Petersburg University and Idowu was born here and later began his career with Zenit St. Petersburg’s underage setup.

He made his Nigeria debut against Argentina in last November’s friendly in Krasnodar. The Super Eagles beat a Messi-less Argentina 4-2 in that match. “I feel amazing beng back. Today I saw my parents and met my best friend.

“I feel the support that my friends are showing me here and the people of Saint Petersburg. I’m excited. Hopefully, I can give back not only to them but to the Nigerian fans.”

If Nigeria draw with Argentina then that will be enough for them to progress, provided that Iceland don’t win against Croatia. If it is a draw and Iceland beat Croatia by two or more goals then Nigeria will be out.

extratime.ie asked the player about the amount of late goals that we have seen in this tournament with teams like Brazil and Germany scoring late with great success.

“This World Cup has shown you have to be prepared to play 90 minutes and from the first minutes through to the injury time in half time and the end of regulation. Anything can happen.”

Jon Obi Mikel, who trained in the stadium on Monday evening wearing a cast on his left hand, should be available as his manager Gernot Rohr explained. “The captain has a small fracture in his hand. I think he can play with a cast but we will have to ask the referee.”

Nigeria training in St. Petersburg Stadium on the eve of their game against Argentina. We will have a report from the pre-match press conference later. #worldcup#NGA#ARGpic.twitter.com/G4X8X7hzbX

— Extratime.ie (@ExtratimeNews) June 25, 2018