After a brilliant first half goal by Messi, the Bargies became static again in the second half. Fortunately a well worked late goal was the business after many missed opportunities....notably by Higuain. Can't see why they are persisting with a player who failed them so badly in the last WC.

Getting past a French team that matches the Nigerian mobility with much more skill will be a tough ask. Pleased for Messi that he got on the Board though.

Looks like Pele's prediction will be moved out by yet another four years...at least. 

Why do Africa struggle so much when the game is so popular here? Players have ample skill, dedication, speed and everything else.

South American countries with similar or worse economies and smaller populations have better records at WCs.

An eternal mystery i suppose.

Senegal still have a shot, but they will have a tough time beating Columbia and Hames.

Looks like the Bargies’ luck has run out. They are 4-2 against the Frogs with the 19min to go. The 19 year old Kylian Mbappé comprehensively outshining the great Messi.

Messi gets marginalized too often in these games.....he seems to get in a funk. Mbappé was sensational, but the Bargie number 3 is a carthorse.

The stupid Bargie coach benched Sergio Arguerro for disciplinary reasons.....so the whole nation suffers. You can't solve for stupid.

I'll tell you why the African teams don't fair well, because they aren't good enough. As is made quite clear by their world rankings. Added to that is the fact that an attitude of entitlement may get you somewhere politically, but feeling entitled does not win you games against better opposition. 

Africa as a whole has a mentality of entitlement. And the whole world obliges it, but some things in life you have to work for in order to achieve anything. Sport...without corruption...is one of those things. 

“And the whole world obliges it, .....”

And therein lies the problem.