Messi hints he may retire from international football if Nigeria defeats Argentina at World Cup

ARGENTINE skipper Lionel Messi has hinted that he may retire from international football if Nigeria's Super Eagles and the other teams in Group D give Albiceleste a bloody nose by handing out defeats to them.

At the World Cup due in Russia next year, Argentina have been drawn in Group D alongside Nigeria, Croatia and Iceland in what many pundits have called the group of death. With Argentina playing very badly at the moment, a lot of commentators believe that the two times world champions will be eliminated in the group stage.

Last month, the Supers Eagles handed out a 4-2 thrashing to Argentina in Krosnador in southern Russia in a friendly match, highlighting the inherent problems in the current Argentina side. During qualification, Argentina struggled and only managed to qualify for the World Cup thanks to Messi's individual brilliance that saw Albiceleste beat Venezuela 3-1 in its last match.

In the past, Messi, 30, has threatened to retire from international football because whenever Argentina play badly, he tends to become the fans' target. In 2016, Messi called time on playing for the national side after they lost in the 2016 Copa America final to Chile but made a dramatic U-turn just two months later after being persuaded by fans and the country's footballing authorities.

Messi told TyC Sports, however: “If we do badly at the World Cup, we all have to disappear from the national team. It’ll be difficult for some to stay on.”

One man who has already confirmed he will be ending his Argentina career after next summer’s showpiece is Messi’s Barcelona team-mate Javier Mascherano. Now 33, Mascherano is way past his best and is getting to see less action at the Nou Camp as age begins to catch up with him.

During the Argentina/Nigeria friendly, Mascherano had a terrible game as he could not keep up with the Super Eagles' quick strikers. He was heavily blamed for Nigeria's fourth goal after Alex Iwobi nutmegged him and went past the veteran central defender and scored as if he was not there.

At Russia 2018, Nigeria versus Argentina will be the last group game, taking place at the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg on June 26. If the Super Eagles hand out another defeat to Argentina and Albiceleste crash out of the tournament, Nigeria could be the ones to end Messi's illustrious international career.