TIME World World Cup

Messi in Motion: All Eyes on Argentina’s Star Striker

The World Cup semifinal match, which pits Argentina against the Netherlands, promises to be a nail-biter. But as the two teams battle it out, there's one player who's bound to steal the show. Lionel Messi, widely considered the best player in the world, is Argentina's trump card. Captain of his team, and with a string of record-breaking wins, the formidable striker appears unstoppable. Whether the Netherlands will beat the man who Diego Maradona called his successor remains to be seen

Lionel Messi during the 2014 World Cup match between Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina, on June 15th, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Argentina's Messi fights for the ball with Switzerland's Mehmedi and Djourou during their 2014 World Cup round of 16 game at the Corinthians arena in Sao Paulo Argentina's Lionel Messi fights for the ball with Iran's Javad Nekounam during their 2014 World Cup Group F soccer match at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on June 21, 2014. Argentina's Lionel Messi fights for the ball with Belgium's Axel Witsel and Toby Alderweireld during World Cup quarter-finals at the Brasilia national stadium Argentina's Lionel Messi fights for the ball with Nigel de Jong of the Netherlands during their 2014 World Cup semi-finals at the Corinthians arena Argentina's Lionel Messi escapes from Switzerland's Valon Behrami (L) and Gelson Fernandes (R) during the FIFA World Cup 2014 round of 16 match between Argentina and Switzerland at the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on July 1, 2014. Argentina's Lionel Messi runs with the ball during the Group F football match between Nigeria and Argentina at the Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre on June 25, 2014, Lionel Messi (10) carries the ball through the midfiel during the Round of 16 of the 2014 World Cup, between Argentina and Switzerland, on July 1st, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Argentina's Messi chases the ball with Belgium's Axel Witsel during their 2014 World Cup quarter-finals at the Brasilia national stadium in Brasilia Argentina's Lionel Messi vies for the ball during a quarter-final football match between Argentina and Belgium at the Mane Garrincha National Stadium in Brasilia during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on July 5, 2014. Argentina's Messi scores a goal past Iran's Ghoochannejhad during their 2014 World Cup Group F soccer match at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte Argentina's Messi celebrates after teammate Di Maria scored a goal during extra time in their 2014 World Cup round of 16 game against Switzerland at the Corinthians arena in Sao Paulo Brazil Soccer WCup Nigeria Argentina Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the group F World Cup soccer match between Argentina and Bosnia at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 15, 2014.

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