Argentina vs Ecuador, 5 talking points from the Lionel Messi masterclass

#1. Lionel Messi is a genius

Sometimes you just have to sit back and admire genius

Seriously, need I say more?

Written off, typecast as the glorious loser, the proud captain of a sinking ship, dismissed by experts and laymen equally as a player who simply couldn't lead men the way Diego Maradona used to... Lionel Messi scored his first ever hattrick in World Cup Qualifying to guide Argentina to their first win in Quito since 2001, only their second ever in this altitude.

Without Messi, Argentina could well have finished bottom of the South American table - so dire were they in his absence (due to injury and later suspension), and it really looked like that mediocrity and the pressure to excel had started to get to the great man, but today with the eyes of the world on him, he hoisted Argentina on his back and carried them all the way to Moscow by his lonesome.

Every time he touched the ball you felt something was going to happen and all three of his goals were sublime exhibitions of his skill and pure talent.

Sometimes you just have to sit back and admire genius.

Having said that, though, for the love of God, can someone please explain to me how he did this:

#Messi the impossible pic.twitter.com/iOTJBNCtKe

— ??????? (@MarvElCule) October 11, 2017

This Lionel Messi lad can play a bit, eh?