Messi fires World Cup warning, says ‘It’s going to be another story with Argentina’

Argentina superstar Lionel Messi believes his army of fans will see a different player at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil than the one that under-performed for Barcelona in 2013/14.

“As I join up with the national team, the atmosphere is completely different,” he said. “Many times in the past when I have gone back to Barcelona, I have played well. Now I am hoping that the opposite happens.”

Messi took his time to transcend his talent with Barcelona on to the international stage and it was only after South Africa 2010 that he started to perform well.

The 26-year-old returned to his native Rosario on arrival in Argentina, and will join coach Alejandro Sabella and the rest of the squad next Monday at Ezeiza, the team’s training camp.

He vowed to train “with maximum energy in order to give his best like always.” He added: “When I return to the training ground with my team-mates, with my friends, it’s going to change my mentality and it’s going to be another story.”

He also revealed that along with the rest of the Barcelona team this season, they were suffering from a “lack of energy”.

Argentina will play friendlies against Trinidad and Tobago on 4 June and Slovenia three days later.

Their opening Group F match will be against Bosnia-Herzegovina on 16 June, which proceeds games against Iran and Nigeria.

“When I return to the training ground with my team-mates, with my friends, it’s going to change my mentality and it’s going to be another story.”

Nigeria are in for a tight battle in Brazil as they tackle Group F opponents Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Argentina.

But, Super Eagles safest hand, Vincent Enyeama, is optimistic that Nigeria will excel in Brazil.

“I think we are going to make big progress,” Enyeama said. “We are focused on the World Cup, to make Africa the proudest continent. Ghana almost reached the semi-finals four years ago. We are going to achieve a better result and be the first African team to get to the semi-finals of the World Cup.”

It will be the third time in a row that Nigeria will be facing Argentina at the World Cup, “If we play against France, it will be interesting, but if we play against Switzerland, it will also be interesting. The important thing is to qualify.

“Playing France for a place in the last eight is not really what matters to me right now, I just want the team to make it to the second round. But maybe we will come out first, and then we will not have to play against France.”