Messi waves his magic wand

With Barcelona, he is a master at scoring goals at a phenomenal rate - most of them spectacular. But he is also a master creator and coach Sergio Batista allowed him to slip into that role on Monday as scoring duties were shared out between two-goal star Sergio Aguero and Angel Di Maria.

What a difference a day makes. Or rather, what a difference a tactical overhaul makes, as Argentina showed in ripping Costa Rica to shreds.

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Released from being a 'number nine', Lionel Messi revelled in being what he really is --- namely, a striker who likes to attack from deeper, leaving real centre forwards in front of him.

Argentina are, as coaches and players past and present have lined up to hammer home in recent days, not Barcelona. But, as Diego Maradona pointed out before the Costa Rica game, that fact - and draws with Bolivia and Colombia - do not mean that Messi is not the greatest footballer on the planet.

With Barcelona, he is a master at scoring goals at a phenomenal rate - most of them spectacular. But he is also a master creator and coach Sergio Batista allowed him to slip into that role on Monday as scoring duties were shared out between two-goal star Sergio Aguero and Angel Di Maria.

Batista bit the bullet, dropping popular Carlos Tevez and putting Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain up front, allowing Messi to roam where he wanted, waving his wand as the conductor of an orchestra which, as if by magic, is suddenly playing in tune. Messi simply excelled on Monday, leading the dazed Costa Ricans a merry dance, setting up two goals and countless other chances which, had Higuain in particular not been so profligate in his finishing, could have produced a score approaching double figures.

Batista was able to pronounce himself "very satisfied" as he greeted reporters after the game.