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Lionel Messi plays sumptuous pass to set up Nahuel Molina for Argentina's opener

Home> Football

Updated 20:18 9 Dec 2022 GMTPublished 19:48 9 Dec 2022 GMT

Lionel Messi plays sumptuous pass to set up Nahuel Molina for Argentina's opener

Messi made a huge impact on the World Cup semi final between Netherlands and Argentina, setting up his side's opener.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

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Lionel Messi once again made his impact on a huge stage, setting up Nahuel Molina with a pass from the gods, as Argentina took the lead against Netherlands.

The longer the World Cup goes on, the more people are starting to believe that it's all set up for Messi to win the entire thing.

On Friday evening, those non believers were starting to come to that way of thinking when Croatia knocked out Brazil in the quarters, with Neymar not even taking a penalty in the shoot out.

That meant that Argentina knew they would be avoiding their South American rivals in the semis, if they could beat Louis van Gaal's side.

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Having beaten the same opposition in the last four in the 2014 tournament, before going on to lose the final, Messi would have been determined not to let his side slip up.

And he made sure in amazing style with the kind of assist that only a player with his skills would have been able to conjure up, almost from nowhere.

The PSG star collected the ball half way into the Netherlands' half, dragged three opposition players with him, and played a through ball into the box.

The ball beat three more opponents and found Molina, putting him one-on-one with Andries Noppert, before he prodded home.

Incredibly, Messi hadn't even looked up to see his teammate at any point to check the run, but still managed to find him.

"Argentina lead through Molina. How? Just how does Messi do this shit? Mind-blowingly brilliant," Messi's number one cheerleader, Gary Lineker, asked on social media.

"That Messi pass was incredible in the stadium because I think he was the only person here who even perceived it as a possibility," the Athletic's Adam Crafton added.

One fan joked, "At least that puts the age old debate to bed about who is better: Lionel Messi or Goncalo Ramos," referencing the Portugal player who scored a hat-trick as Cristiano Ronaldo's replacement.

"Simply incredible. That window was nothing. A microsecond of a microsecond. Messi doesn’t play football. He feels it," a fourth fan added.

And a fifth perfectly summed it up, simply saying, "HOLY F**K LIONEL MESSI."

Featured Image Credit: BBC Sport

Topics: Lionel Messi, Argentina, Netherlands, Football World Cup, Football

Ryan Sidle
Ryan Sidle

Ryan is a journalist for SPORTbible with over eight years of experience. Passionate about all sports, he mainly covers football and F1 - Daniel Ricciardo once spent an entire interview referring to him as 'Ryan Gosling,' still his proudest moment.

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@Sidler28

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