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The reaction of Argentina's bench to Lionel Messi's outrageous chip was absolutely perfect

The reaction of Argentina's bench to Lionel Messi's outrageous chip was absolutely perfect

Sometimes you have to sit back and appreciate greatness.

Footage of the Argentina bench reacting to Lionel Messi's outrageous chip during their 3-0 win over Honduras has gone viral.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner produced a moment of magic in the early hours of Saturday morning, scooping the ball over goalkeeper Luis Lopez with one touch.

It was Messi's 88th goal for the national side and as he wheeled away in celebration with his teammates, cameras panned over to manager Lionel Scaloni and his staff.

While those sat on the bench were clapping, Scaloni let out a wry smile and stared at Messi. Nobody in the Hard Rock Stadium could divert his eyes in that moment.

Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring inside 16 minutes, then Messi grabbed his first of the game from the penalty spot after Giovani Lo Celso was pulled down inside the area.

The 35-year-old followed that up with his lovely lob midway through the second half.

Argentina are unbeaten in their last 34 matches and that's a sensational run of form to be on, two months away from the World Cup.

'La Albiceleste' haven't won the tournament since 1986 but are well equipped for a strong showing in Qatar.

It'll all likely depend on the form of Messi. After a difficult debut campaign with Paris Saint-Germain, Messi has scored six goals and registered eight assists in all competitions this term.

Scaloni was asked about Messi in a post-match interview and touched on how important it is for him to feel happy on the pitch.

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Alamy

"The important thing is that he is well, that he is comfortable, that he enjoys playing football," Scaloni explained per TyC Sports.

"If he doesn’t enjoy it… it’s bad. I think he is enjoying himself on his team. That’s important.

"Everyone enjoys seeing him on the pitch The more he enjoys, the more we all enjoy it.

"I see him well; I see him happy. I hope he continues like this."

Argentina return to action against Jamaica on Wednesday, with another friendly against the United Arab Emirates scheduled for November 16.

They are in Group C at the World Cup and face Saudi Arabia in their opening game on November 22.

SPORTbible Stories is the brand-new podcast from the SPORT team at LADbible. The latest episode features a chat with WWE legend Triple H who opens up on his long in-ring career, his rivalry with The Rock during WWE's Attitude Era and Logan Paul's fledgling wrestling career. You can watch the episode here.

Featured Image Credit: Twitter

Topics: Lionel Messi, Argentina