Ex-Barcelona attacker backs Lionel Messi to conquer ‘enormous’ pressure and lift 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina

Former Netherlands forward Ibrahim Afellay has heaped praise on Lionel Messi ahead of their clash against Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals on Friday (December 9).

Afellay shared a dressing room with the Argentina captain at Barcelona for four seasons. He knows the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward much better than most of his compatriots.

Praising the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, Afellay said:

"At 35, Messi is still the centerpiece of the Argentina squad. In Qatar he is chasing that one prize that is still missing from his gigantic list of achievements: the World Cup. He has to do it, he has to lead Argentina to that prize. You can imagine the pressure on his shoulders is enormous."

Winning the FIFA World Cup is one of the most difficult challenges in world football and comes with a lot of pressure. Stating that the PSG ace knows how to handle the pressure, Afellay said:

"Messi knows how to handle that pressure very well, because he is still improving one record after another. He has been the best year after year. And he still is. The whole of Argentina is leaning on him. He takes responsibility every time and is decisive."

Afellay spent a little over four years (2010-2015) at Barcelona and watched the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner wreak havoc across Europe with the ball. Expressing his gratitude at being able to play with him, Afellay added:

“I am very grateful to have been able to play with him. And it is only nice that we can still see him shine now."

The former Dutch forward played only 35 games for the Blaugrana across four seasons, scoring two goals and registering one assist. He retired from the game in 2021.

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Lionel Messi will lead Argentina against The Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Having scored three goals and registered one assist, Messi has once again been the focal point of the Argentine attack in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He scored the first goal in his team's 2-1 win against Argentina in the Round of 16 clash against Australia.

He will now lead his team against a strong Dutch side who have not lost a game in their last 19 outings under Louis van Gaal. The winner of the match will play Brazil or Croatia in the semifinals.