Former Super Eagles captain and manager Sunday Oliseh has described Lionel Messi's remarkable performance in Argentina’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener as something beyond ordinary football, insisting the veteran forward has become an “AI” version of himself.
Messi produced a stunning display as Argentina began their World Cup title defence with a 3-0 victory over Algeria, scoring a hat-trick in a historic outing that came shortly before his 39th birthday.
The Argentine captain’s treble also saw him equal Germany legend Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals.
Reacting to Messi’s performance, Oliseh said the Argentina star’s ability to continue dominating at the highest level at his age is something football has never witnessed before.
“This is Lionel Messi AI. There is no other way to describe this. Never in the history of football has a 38-year-old man played the way Messi did yesterday. Now, not only did he score three goals in an opening encounter, it is the way he scored these goals,” Oliseh said on Global Football Insights with Oliseh.
The former Ajax Amsterdam midfielder added that Messi’s brilliance reminded him of a nickname given to the Argentine by a childhood friend, but believes the forward’s latest performances require a new description.
“A childhood friend of mine has always referred to Messi for the past 15 years as the oracle. From what I saw yesterday, this is the version I will now call the Lionel Messi AI. It is not only because he scored three goals, but it's the way he did it,” he added.
Oliseh highlighted Messi’s finishing ability, movement and precision, particularly praising the quality of his third goal against Algeria.
“Now, you know me that I love shooting. The third goal he scored, the way he struck the ball, the precision, the movement. And not only is Messi just scoring tapping goals, of course he walks. But look at it like this,” he said.
The former Nigeria midfielder believes Messi’s longevity has been helped by the support of his teammates, who understand how to maximise his qualities on the pitch.
“Some people at this age are already grandfathers. In a week he's going to be 39 years old. Messi is able to achieve this because his colleagues have all come together and said, ‘Look, we have an AI amongst us. What do we do? We sacrifice for him. Let him play,’” Oliseh explained.
He also praised Messi’s movement and ability to still beat opponents despite being in the latter stages of his career.
“Watch the full game. The pace he displayed last, the ability to still run past opponents. This is something I find exceptional. Gone is Lionel Messi. Now we have Lionel Messi AI,” he said.
Although Oliseh admitted Argentina may not necessarily win the tournament, he believes Messi’s current form guarantees more memorable moments for football fans.
“Now, Argentina might not win this World Cup, but one thing I can guarantee you of is this, is that with this man still playing like this, we are in for some more joy,” he concluded.
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