Argentina's World Cup quarterfinal against Belgium on Saturday is likely to be decided by who comes out on top in a continuing duel between their captain Lionel Messi and opposing goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Barcelona forward Messi, whose four goals and one assist have propelled the South Americans into the last eight, has faced Courtois 10 times in three seasons since the lanky 22-year-old joined Atletico Madrid on loan from Chelsea in 2011.
Messi came out firmly on top in his early encounters with Courtois in Spain, netting six goals in their opening three games including a brilliant hat-trick in the first meeting, a La Liga match in September 2011 that Barca won 5-0.
Messi made Courtois look foolish for, a crafty free kick in a 2-1 La Liga victory for Barca at Atletico's Calderon stadium in February 2012.
Courtois must have been wondering what had hit him when Messi struck a brilliant double in a 4-1 home win for Barca in December 2012 but that was the last time the mercurial Argentine forward found the net against the Madrid club.
Whether Messi can help them beat the Belgians, who lost 2-0 to Argentina in the 1986 semifinals with Maradona netting both goals, will depend on him breaking his unusual scoring drought against one of the most promising young keepers in the game.