Super Eagles: Messi’s perfect record against Nigeria revealed
Retold by Oddsrama · 31 August 2026
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Lionel Messi has hung up his boots from international football at 39, and for the Super Eagles, it marks the end of a particularly troubling era. The Argentine legend's perfect record against Nigeria is a reminder of just how much the African side struggled whenever they faced him on the big stage. In 207 appearances for Argentina, Messi scored 125 goals and won the 2022 World Cup plus two Copa America titles—but against Nigeria, he was simply unstoppable.
Across four meetings between the two nations, Argentina won all four matches while Messi personally contributed three goals. The first came at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where Gabriel Heinze's strike sealed a 1-0 victory in Johannesburg. Messi dominated that June 12 fixture but didn't score, though Vincent Enyeama's goalkeeping heroics prevented what could have been a far heavier defeat. A year later, Argentina cruised to a 3-1 friendly win in Bangladesh, with Messi involved but again not on the scoresheet.
Messi's most damaging performance came at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. On June 25, he netted twice in a thrilling 3-2 Group F encounter, opening the scoring before restoring Argentina's lead before the interval. Ahmed Musa's brace for Nigeria made it competitive, but Marcos Rojo's late goal proved decisive. Their final clash arrived in Russia 2018, when Messi's early finish at Saint Petersburg gave Argentina the lead, only for Victor Moses to equalize from the spot. Again, Rojo's late intervention sealed a 2-1 win and Nigeria's elimination.
For bettors tracking historical form and World Cup encounters, Messi's complete dominance over Nigeria underscores how Argentina's class has consistently told in knockout moments. With the Argentine retired, Nigeria can finally face Argentina without carrying that psychological weight—though the Super Eagles will need to improve significantly if they meet again in future tournaments.
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