World Cup rivals told they must use tactic performed by ex-Arsenal star to stop Lionel Messi

How do you nullify a problem like Lionel Messi? Well, Martin Keown thinks he knows.

The former Arsenal and England player watched the Argentina superstar become the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history in a 2-0 win against Austria for talkSPORT.

Messi is breaking records and looking in fine fettle at the World CupGetty

Bar the hiccup of a missed first-half penalty – breaking an unwanted record itself of missed penalties at three successive World Cups – Messi was electric and plundered a double against the European side.

He might be about to turn 39 years old and seeing out his career with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer but still rivals are struggling to stop him.

Arsenal legend Keown, though, feels it might be time to borrow an old trick which has been tried against him before.

He said: “I wonder now is it time for a team actually that says, ‘You know what? We’re gonna pick you up, Messi. We’re going to mark you. We’re just going to sacrifice a player and we won’t give you the time and space’. You can’t afford to.

Andy Brassell's Lionel Messi verdict

“Lionel Messi is enjoying the greatest victory lap that football has ever seen.

“Two goals against Austria has made him the World Cup’s top goalscorer of all time.

“The party was slightly delayed by missing that penalty in the first half but he was never going to be denied.

“Not just his first half goal but the one deep into stoppage time showing what incredible appetite he has on the 40th anniversary of the great Diego Maradona, the other great Argentinian number 10 and his two goals, one dodgy one divine in Mexico City against England.

“But this was almost a religious experience for everyone involved.

“So much joy in the stands, so much joy amongst his teammates and so much joy for Messi himself. It looks like he’s having the absolute time of his life.

“It’s beautiful to see and now as well as Argentina winning the group he’s got a last 32 game in his hometown Miami to look forward to.

“It doesn’t get any better than that.”

“Maybe then it’s down to the rest and are the rest good enough? If you completely mark him, I’m not so sure.

“[Julian] Alvarez coming on was good news but Rodrigo de Paul is a player who’s not really attacking. The wingers aren’t aggressive. They’re not motivated to run at you with the ball.

“Messi is the player. So why not man mark him? I’d be interested to see how other teams handle it through the competition.”

Asked about what the role would entail, he added: “Whoever does that job needs pace. They need pace and they need to be patient.

“Look, to stop him would be remarkable but I don’t think you can leave him to play between the lines.

“That’s what Austria did. No specific player was given a job to do today to mark him and I think maybe, of course I understand it’s a collective effort that wins you matches, somebody’s got to be given that job because he can’t just be allowed to run games in the way that he is.”

Messi might not sprint around the pitch these days but he still finds pockets of space across the pitch Messi has been sensational for Argentina after two games

This tactic almost worked to perfection at the 2010 World Cup.

Coming off his first truly outrageous goalscoring season for Barcelona, when he stuck home 47 times in 53 appearances, the globe was taking full notice.

As such, Greece head coach Otto Rehhagel decided to make a special plan for the burgeoning Argentine.

Step forward Sokratis Papastathopoulos.

At that stage, he was only just at the start of a career that would see him take in AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, and Arsenal.

But he was entrusted with the impossible job – man mark Messi.

Sokratis got to know Messi a little too well in 2010AFP - Getty

It worked, for the most part, riling up the diminutive superstar, although he did strike the post with one shot, taking five in total.

But Argentina proved they could still get the job done with Martin Demichelis and Martin Palermo scoring in the last 15 minutes of a 2-0 win.

After the game an unhappy Messi let his frustration out.

“The referee was more on their side. They played dirty and they didn’t allow us to play football like we do it,” he said.

“I am not worried about not scoring. Of course I would like the ball to go in. It is not so important. I had a man clinging to me for 90 minutes. I tried to move to the wing to take him away for my team mates.”

Meanwhile, coach Diego Maradona added: “It’s a matter of fair play.

“If every time Messi gets the ball the Greek players bring him down. You should give them a yellow or red card and it’s over. And they can play clean. I mean the Greeks were just pushing Messi. If I tell the fourth official and he doesn’t react what I am supposed to do?”

Stay up to date with all the latest World Cup tips & predictions, World Cup Match Previews and all the best World Cup Betting Offers and Free Bets in our dedicated betting hub

World Cup WhatsApp

Don't miss an update from talkSPORT in our dedicated World Cup WhatsApp channel.

Search for ‘talkSPORT World Cup’ in your ‘Updates’ tab on WhatsApp and we’ll drop the proper, unfiltered football chat straight to your lock screen—no fluff, just pure talkSPORT energy.

It’s where you’ll find out all the new rules to watch out for, England and Scotland reaction and big match player ratings.

Plus there will be loads of debates on the biggest talking points as Haaland, Mbappe, Kane and the biggest names in football descend on America, Canada and Mexico.