Emotional ex-Nigeria keeper Vanzekin hails Messi after winning first World Cup title

Former Nigeria International, Ambruse Vanzekin hailed Argentine captain, Lionel Messi after leading the Albiceleste to the title at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Argentina won its third World Cup after a pulsating final encounter with France with the Albiceleste emerging as Champions 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw in 120 minutes.

Vanzekin admitted that he shared the field playing against Lionel Messi at the FIFA U-20 World Cup final in 2005 as well as the final of the 2008 Olympic Games football event in Beijing, revealing that he has been a passionate Messi fan and is equally happy to see the Argentine playmaker becoming a world champion at the senior level.

“I followed Messi and watched his games. the passion I have for him was too high,” Vanzekin told Brila FM.

“I am always emotional when he is playing and always praying for him to lay his hands on the World Cup. I am happy for Messi lifting the World Cup. Someone that I have played with twice.”

Gonzalo Montiel’s penalty in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final proved decisive as Argentina overcame France after a 3-3 thriller to claim their third world title, also ending an agonizing wait of 36 years to lift the game’s greatest of prizes.

For Messi, the road from La Masia to El Maestro is truly complete, and nobody can now deny him his much-debated equality with 1986 Champion Diego Maradona.

The future generation of Albiceleste will have Italy and Germany’s joint second-best tally of four World Cup titles in their sight for 2026.

On this evidence, Messi’s successors will stop at nothing to ensure the name of Argentina is anointed in light many more times in years to come.