Lionel Messi's record vs. Spain

Played: 3

Won: 1

Drawn: 0

Lost: 2

Goals: 2

Although a proud Argentinian - and all the more visibly in recent years - Lionel Messi's life and football career has been inextricably linked with Spain.

Messi moved there at the tender age of 13 to join Barcelona and then developed at La Masia, where the global superstar built a lasting bond with both the city and club. Indeed, it was once thought he might even represent La Roja and wear the famous red shirt.

Now, more than a quarter of a century on from his arrival in Catalonia, he seeks a second World Cup win as captain and talisman of Argentina, with European champions Spain the only obstacle left standing in his way.

Of Messi's 206 caps, just three have been collected from games between them, though he first went toe-to-toe with his adopted homeland in the Under-20 World Cup quarter-finals of 2005 - naturally, he scored the third goal in a 3-1 victory that day.

At senior level, though, there have been no competitive clashes since 1966, so the diminutive magician has only played a handful of friendlies against Spain's national team to date.

Messi made one of his first Argentina starts in the Spanish city of Murcia on October 11, 2006. Then 18 years old, he put in a bright performance but failed to find the net before being substituted after 66 minutes as the hosts won 2-1.

Just over three years later, with idol Diego Maradona as his boss, Messi did get on the scoresheet with a penalty that was converted between two Xabi Alonso strikes - but the result stayed the same.

Not long after, he had to watch on as Spain lifted the 2010 World Cup, and the visitors were still basking in that glow when they travelled to Buenos Aires two months later.

Yet, La Albiceleste stunned the new world champions with a convincing 4-1 win, as their star man opened the scoring with a delightful dinked finish and they surged three goals ahead before half time.

Injury then spared Messi from a humbling 6-1 loss to Spain in March 2018 - and he was even spotted making an early exit from Madrid's Estadio Metropolitano - but so much has changed for the little maestro since then.