Messi provides perfect answer to his critics

LAST Saturday night, the criticism was raining down on Argentina. Tipped as contenders, they’d lost to Saudi Arabia in the opening game and were struggling to break down a Mexico team that was drilled, organised and denying them space.

With the game locked at 0-0, the half-time discussion was of an early and shock exit.

Fittingly it was Lionel Messi who stepped up to change the game. I don’t think his goal has been has been given the appreciation it deserves. The intelligence to stand still in that six yards of space gave him a base to work from.

The ball was fired into him, he’s controlled it and struck it into the only part of the goal in which he could score from.

That first touch... if it was not so cushioned, then he doesn’t even have the chance to get the shot away.

It was a top-class goal and it is almost taken for granted.

At half-time, he was being written off by the pundits, people saying he is not feared any more. I loved seeing an answer like that.

Last night he was at it again, a deft touch and then a threaded low finish into the corner to break the deadlock against Australia.

He continually answers his critics. As I said at the start of the tournament, I would love him to go all the way. He has offered the game so much over the years that it would be sad if he doesn’t get his hands on the World Cup.

His young, emerging teammates had a rough start but they have improved.

The support they have is only going to increase and the longer Messi is in the tournament, the better.

I’m not sure Holland have quite the same potential, although I expected them to get through against the USA.

Cody Gakpo is having a good tournament. He first came to our attention against Rangers in the Champions League and PSV Eindhoven did well to hang on to him.

He is the pick of a technically-proficient Dutch squad but I don’t think they’ll have enough to overcome Argentina in the quarter-finals.