5 times Lionel Messi single-handedly saved Argentina
In the history of the beautiful game, there is simply nothing like Lionel Andres Messi. The only player who is continuously compared to Pele and Maradona, and is hailed as the greatest in the current era, has carried his nation like a lion with a cub in its mouth, propelling the side to three consecutive finals in major competitions.
No one would have thought the player who was sent off in two minutes on his debut would carry his team alone on his shoulders and take them to such heights.
Here are some of the matches in the slideshow where Messi saved his team alone.
#5 Switzerland vs Argentina, Friendly 2012 (3-1)
The first goal for any footballer is always priceless and so is his maiden hat-trick. But the ones the little master produces are always memorable. This is what happened with Messi in a 2012 friendly match against Switzerland where he scored his first international hat-trick. Messi dribbled past the defence to find the back of the net in his usual style. Switzerland, with their top-class player Shaqiri, replied back in the 49th minute and made it 1-1.
But Messi was not there to watch his hard work going in vain. The diminutive genius replied back in the 87th minute and then ended the match dramatically with his maiden hat-trick after scoring a penalty in the stoppage time.