Lionel Messi foiled by 'Han of God' as Cristiano Ronaldo leads World Cup GOAT race

It is not only the Argentine peso that is plummeting in value.

Judging by their lack of finesse, fortitude and finishing power against the strong arm but ultimately predictable tactics of an Iceland side sitting deeper than the haddock of Reykjavík, the national team's prospects of winning the day in Russia are already in free fall.

Of course, Argentina last won this tournament in 1986 when the football deity Diego Maradona and his hand of God dragged a fairly non-descript side to World Cup success in Mexico City. Lionel Messi is unearthing a fourth and probably final attempt at emulating the Hand of God's gilded show at the Azteca, but already looks hot and bothered by the job at hand.

It was Han of a Norse God - or hand of Cod as the ITV commentator amusingly dusted down - who denied Messi a perfect introduction to these finals. On his 50th appearance for his country, the unheralded Hannes Þór Halldórsson discovered at the age of 34 that all good things come to those who wait.

A journeyman professional with unremarkable postings as a goalie for KR Reykjavík in the land of fire and ice, NEC Nijmegen in the Netherlands and Randers FC in Denmark, his 20 minutes of true fame came when he directed Iceland's Eurovision Song Contest entry six years ago. No more. This was as memorable for Halldorsson as Abba winning Eurovision by subjecting Messi to his Waterloo.

With the score delicately poised at 1-1 after Alfred Finnbogason's shot-range prod had restored parity from Sergio Aguero's swivelling finish on 19 minutes, the stage seemed set when Messi was placed on the spot on 64 minutes.

Maximiliano Meza crumpled under pressure from Hördur Magnússon, and the referee awarded the penalty without consulting VAR. It is a device that suggested there was no contact between the two men. Yet it was not deployed when most needed. There will be plenty of replays of the penalty save in Iceland, the smallest country to earn a point at the finals.

Never Forget was the name of Halldórsson's Eurovision entry that finished a respectable 20th, a feat Iceland are on course to better if they can escape from the Group D in their maiden appearance at the World Cup. It is unlikely Halldórsson or Messi will forget this day. As he scooped the penalty slightly to the goalkeeper's right, Halldórsson was already on his way, leaping eagerly like an Icelandic salmon to swat away the penalty.

So much for boosting morale back home. Argentina's peso has fallen almost 11 percent in the past week and is down more than 34 percent since the beginning of the year to record lows against the dollar. All the money in the world cannot buy them a third World Cup.

But Argentina's stock is on the wane. They started with a side consisting of players from Manchester City, Manchester United, Benfica, Ajax, Barcelona, Milan, Independiente and Paris Saint-Germain yet could only manage seven shots on target from 78 percent of possession.

"To evaluate and characterise (Messi's) work is difficult because it was an uncomfortable match,” said national coach Jorge Sampaoli.

Argentina confront Croatia on Thursday with Iceland meeting Nigeria the following day.

Opting to open with two defensive midfield sorts in Javier Mascherano and Lucas Biglia did not help Argentina's plight against a side portrayed as a posse of honest lumberjacks, who have become used to chopping lofty reputations down to size.

When Messi was needed, he could not deliver the mighty blow Argentina craved. A pained fact made worse by his fierce rival Cristiano Ronaldo delivering an astonishing one-man show that enabled Portugal to extract a 3-3 draw from Spain that otherwise would have been a 3-0 filleting.

If these finals help in making your mind up in the Greatest Of All Time debate, there is little question Ronaldo has stolen a march on Messi.

He looks like he revels in such moments of angst representing Portugal while Messi appears to play with the weight of expectation on his shoulders. The carefree moments of joy unconfined that defines his outings with Barcelona elude him with Argentina.

He managed 11 shots in this match, more than he has unearthed at any World Cup he has attended including the run to the final four years ago, but missing the penalty was criminal in the circumstances.

As Ronaldo showed in helping his country clasp the European Championship two years ago, pressure is no more of a hindrance in a Portuguese shirt than it is representing the European champions at club level. He is up to 84 international goals, only outscored by Ali Daei's 109 with Iran. And Ronaldo's tally should be weighted with half a goal extra.

Perhaps it is little surprise that Messi opted not to chose his fellow thirtysomething Ronaldo as one of his eight players to watch ahead of the finals. Sometimes it is what is not said in life that tells you more.

The World Cup is the one trophy that has eluded both men. If either icon carries it away from these finals, he probably settles the GOAT debate in his favour.

Two draws yet only one winner from these outrageous opening days. Like the peso, the currency of Messi has fallen against the glistening bank of Ronaldo.