Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has questioned Lionel Messi’s incredible stamina after the Argentina skipper inspired his side to a dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt to reach the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.
Messi put the holders back on level terms after they had clawed back a two-goal deficit in Tuesday’s last-16 clash. Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico had put Egypt in the driving seat but Cristian Romero and Enzo Fernandez completed the comeback.
After the match, Mikel told Fox Sports he still can’t believe the 39-year-old can keep delivering decisive performances in a physically and mentally demanding tournament.
“Argentina are going through another tough game, where they have been pushed to the limit. “How much Messi has played, how much has been taken out of him mentally, psychologically, physically as well,” Obi Mikel said.
“Again that’s going to be the question, how much can he give again to be able to drag this Argentina team once again to another semi-final.
“That’s going to be the question but when you have Messi I don’t know what the guy is eating. I don’t know what he eats because every time you think it’s finished, he comes up with something spectacular.”
Former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic also praised Messi but said the rest of the Argentina squad needed to take more responsibility as the tournament approaches its decisive stage.
Former AC Milan and Manchester United forward believes Argentina cannot keep relying on their captain if they want to keep hold of the World Cup title.
“His [Messi’s] teammates need to step it up and also help him because he has been on another level, if I have to be a little bit critical,” Ibrahimovic said of Messi.
‘If he can carry on and take it all the way to the final and really take the final pieces. “Fairly, he needs help but we’ll be surprised.
Argentina’s comeback win was reported to have secured them a place in the last eight, where they will face Switzerland at 2 a.m. on Sunday, July 12.
