Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel is yet to get over the team’s ouster from the FIFA World Cup tournament. He was particular sad that he had to lose another match to Messi in a rather painful manner after hoping to beat the Argentina super star with whom he has clashed severally starting from the 2005 Under-20 FIFA World Cup.
The Eagles were in pole position to quality for the round of 16 at expense of Argentina but Marcus Rojo smashed home the winner in the 86th minute with scores at 1-1. “I’m sad because I think it was the moment I came so close to getting one,” Mikel told reporters at Krestovsky Stadium.
“It’s not a competition between me and him. I just felt that this time we almost came through and it would have been amazing for us to go through. “Once again, luck was on his side and he managed to come through again.
” Mikel and Messi first locked horns in 2005, when a pair of penalties from the Barcelona star gave Argentina a 2-1 win over Nigeria in the Under-20 World Cup final.
Senior World Cup wins at the group stage in 2010 and 2014 followed – with Mikel playing in the latter game where Messi hit a brace.
