Ossie Ardiles backs Lionel Messi to thrive at World Cup

Former Argentina World Cup winner Ossie Ardiles has backed Barcelona's Lionel Messi to have a successful World Cup.

Messi missed two months of the 2013-14 campaign through injury, while he was also criticised for a perceived laziness in certain matches.

However, Ardiles, who won the World Cup with his country in 1978, has backed the former Ballon d'Or winner to star this summer.

"This time, Lionel Messi will give the performance we expect of him – I am sure of that," Ardiles told FIFA's official website.

"I reckon he is determined to have an amazing tournament, both on an individual and team level. He has got supernatural skill, a tactical awareness ahead of his time and can make the impossible look easy.

"He played excellently in the qualifiers and shouldered his responsibilities brilliantly - he was our main goalscorer and one of the most decisive players on the pitch. Until midway through this past season he was carrying an injury that he picked up at the end of the previous campaign, but I can see he is gradually getting back to his best."

This summer's competition begins in less than two weeks.