KAZAN, Russia, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Embattled Argentina forward Lionel Messi received words of support from his Barcelona teammate Yerry Mina ahead of the Albiceleste's crunch World Cup Group D match against Nigeria on Tuesday.
To advance to the round of 16, Argentina must beat the African side and hope that Iceland do not defeat Croatia by a margin that leaves the Nordic team with a superior goal difference.
Messi has been a peripheral figure in Russia so far, missing a penalty in Argentina's 1-1 draw with Iceland and going unsighted for long periods in his team's 3-0 loss to Croatia.
"Messi is a crack. He has my respect for the person that he is, for the humility he has," Mina told a press conference on Tuesday. "When I had my first training session with him I was very impressed by how he is. I have no words to explain it. They criticize him, but what he has done is incomparable."
The center-back added: "If we had him in the Colombia team, I would support him every day to make him feel good and happy so that he could show his talent. I just want to tell him to enjoy himself, like he told me at Barcelona."
Mina, used sparingly by Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde after arriving at the Camp Nou from Brazil's Palmeiras in January, headed in Colombia's first goal in their 3-0 rout of Poland on Sunday.
Colombia also need to win their last group match, against Senegal on Thursday, if they are to progress to the next stage in Russia.
