Argentine captain Lionel Messi says he fancies facing the Super Eagles again at next year's World Cup

ARGENTINE captain Lionel Messi has said that he looks forward to facing Nigeria's Super Eagles again at the 2018 World Cup ahead of Fifa group draw due to take place in the Kremlin on December 1.

Three years ago, Nigeria and Argentina were drawn in the same group and  Albicelestes ended up 3-2 winners with Messi himself scoring two of the goals. Indeed, in Nigeria's five World Cup appearances, the Eagles have been drawn in the same group as Argentina four times in 1994, 2002, 2010 and 2014.

Already, both Argentina and Nigeria have qualified for Russia 2018 and after the last round of qualifiers next month, the draw for the groups will be made in Moscow in December. Messi has reportedly picked a match against the Super Eagles of Nigeria as one of his favourites.

Messi, who was superb in Argentina’s win against Ecuador which gave the South Americans the World Cup ticket was said to be looking forward to facing Nigeria again in Russia. He added that a game against Nigeria was among his favourites games.

So far, Messi has played against Nigeria twice at age-grade level during the 2005 World Youth Championship and also the 2008 Olympic in Beijing, winning both times. At senior level, he has scored three times in the three games he has played against Nigeria, including a brace at the last World Cup in Brazil and a goal in a friendly game played in Malaysia in 2012.