Lionel Messi shines once again with insane late kicker lifting Argentina win over Ecuador in World Cup qualifier

Argentina secured a narrow win against Ecuador but not without another Lionel Messi masterclass. The Argentine captain displayed exceptional skills by scoring a magnificent free-kick goal for La Albiceleste. This remarkable goal secured Argentina a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their first fixture of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers.

Messi’s incredible free-kick goal will be a memorable one, not because he has not done this before on similar occasions, but because with that goal, Messi equaled Luis Suarez for the most goals scored in South American WC qualifiers. What is more intriguing is that Lionel Messi also equaled another freekick specialist in career freekicks scored. 

Lionel Messi scores insane late kicker to lead Argentina’s win over Ecuador

It was another incredible evening for Lionel Messi. The 36-year-old freekick specialist expertly lifted the ball over the defensive wall and placed it perfectly into the top-left corner of the net, leaving Ecuador’s goalkeeper, Hernan Galindez, rooted to the spot and utterly motionless in the 78th minute of Argentina’s contest with Ecuador. 

Messi not only scored a well-crafted free-kick goal, but another highlight of the game was 36-year-old maestro flooring Moisés Caicedo. After engaging in a series of duels with Messi, the 115 million-tagged Chelsea player was eventually left on the ground as Messi strolled past him. 

It was a closely battled game between both teams till the 77th minute when Lionel Messi broke the tie with a beautifully guided free kick to the far post. 

After successfully delivering the conquest over Ecuador, the 36-year-old freekick specialist was ushered off the field with a standing ovation in the 89th minute.

With this remarkable tie-breaking goal, Messi matched Luis Suárez’ record for the highest number of goals scored in South American World Cup qualifiers. This latest achievement is yet another prestigious addition to Messi’s extensive collection of individual records, further cementing his status as one of the greatest footballers ever. Lionel Messi has also equaled David Beckham’s tally of career freekick goals at 65, now both tied for fifth place in the all-time list.

Soccer fans react to Lionel Messi’s incredible late free-kick

Football fans are often polarized in their opinions when Lionel Messi delivers a masterclass such as this. Some marvel incredulously, while the other faction adores him and calls him an alien. 

One fan tweeted, “The Goat decides the game.. What a free kick!”. Another fan complimented, “This man is a cheat code.” 

Meanwhile, the reverse is the case for the other group. They believe that a footballer cannot perform so excellently; to them, he is too good to be true, hence they would conclude that his brilliant displays are truly scripted. Call it as you will, but Ray Hudson’s wise old words surely put it right. “Welcome to Lionel’s world, Where the insane becomes the predictable.”