Lionel Messi really has done some mad things with a football at his feet.

The Argentine superstar has spent the best part of the last two decades blowing us all away over and over again with his majestic skill and guile.

There is a reason he has won an unprecedented seven Ballon d'Or titles and, in truth, we may never see his like again.

The numbers behind his time in the game are simply mind-boggling. Over the course of his club career, Messi has plundered over 800 goals while also registering over 600 assists.

Those are absolute fantasy numbers and that is before we have even included his goals for his beloved Argentina.

Of course, things haven't always gone according to plan for Messi when he has pulled on the famous blue and white shirt and he has had to endure many a heart-ache on the international stage.

Lionel Messi poses with the Ballon d'Or
Soccer Football - The Ballon d'Or Awards - Theatre du Chatelet, Paris, France - November 29, 2021 Paris St Germain's Lionel Messi with the Ballon d'Or award REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Soccer Football - The Ballon d'Or Awards - Theatre du Chatelet, Paris, France - November 29, 2021 Paris St Germain's Lionel Messi with the Ballon d'Or award REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

That, however, never stopped him from pulling out all the stops in a bid to finally bring international glory back to his beloved homeland.

He has scored some truly bonkers goals for Argentina with strikes like his free-kick against the USA immediately springing to mind.

However, none may be more underrated than his goal against Nigeria in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

With Argentina in need of a win to progress into the knock-out stages in Russia, Messi stepped up and delivered one of the goals of the tournament.

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring at the World Cup
SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - JUNE 26: Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group D match between Nigeria and Argentina at Saint Petersburg Stadium on June 26, 2018 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - JUNE 26: Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group D match between Nigeria and Argentina at Saint Petersburg Stadium on June 26, 2018 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Running onto an overhead ball, Messi produced the holy trinity of touches to control, set up and smash the ball into the Nigeria net.

In real time, it was a brilliant goal but, in slow motion, it is simply astonishing.

You can see the footage in the tweets below but be warned, it's incredibly hypnotic:

How does he make it look so easy?

The way he was able to bring the ball out of sky without breaking his stride is quite extraordinary and that's all before he's even had a strike at goal.

Of course, the 2018 World Cup would be another international tournament to forget for Messi and co as France sent them packing in the last 16.

Thankfully, he has since tasted international success, winning the Copa America in 2021.