Manchester United ace Lisandro Martinez's message to Lionel Messi after World Cup triumph

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has sent a heartfelt message to Lionel Messi in the wake of Argentina's World Cup win.

In a breathtaking match, Argentina beat France on penalties to win the competition for the third time in their history. Martinez failed to make it onto the pitch for the final itself but played an instrumental role in their campaign - including dominant performances against both Mexico and the Netherlands.

The 24-year-old has flown from the Middle East to South America to take part in the jubilant celebrations in his home nation, yet fans will be desperate for both himself and Raphael Varane to be available for selection for United as soon as possible.

It is not surprising that most of the focus has been on Messi in the aftermath of the historic win, as the Paris Saint-Germain star finally got his hands on the elusive trophy. The 35-year-old came agonisingly close eight years ago in 2014, when a 113th-minute Mario Gotze strike saw Germany beat Argentina 1-0 in the final.

The outcry of support for Messi following last week's final has been monumental, with virtually everyone in the entire footballing community heaping praise on the former Barcelona man. Martinez has now joined in with those well-wishers as he took to social media to show his love and respect for his fellow compatriot.

He posted a message on Instagram, writing: "On and off the pitch an example for all. Thank you Leo for being our leader towards this great dream we achieved. Simply the best footballer ever!!"