Footage resurfaces of a younger Lionel Messi dribbling through an entire Premier League youth team in Essex in 2014 - just days before going on to score winner for star-studded Argentina side

A clip has re-emerged of a more youthful Lionel Messi dribbling through the entire West Ham under-23s defence on a visit to Romford ten years ago.

The footballing legend, then 27, found himself in Essex ahead of Argentina's clash with Croatia at Upton Park in November 2014.

The World Cup runners-up came out on top that day thanks to a Messi penalty in the 57th minute, after Anas Sharbini had put the European side in the lead and centre-back Christian Ansaldi equalised.

Before the game Messi, firmly in his prime, faced off against The Hammers ' youth side on a, presumably, cold and dark night at their training ground.

And the diminutive forward took to it like a duck to water, showing no mercy as he cruised past the youngsters and stuck the ball in the back of the net.

Rising Ballers posted the footage on X, formerly Twitter , and said: 'To this day I can't believe this happened... Lionel Messi really came to Romford & played against West Ham U23s back in 2014.

'Was a preparation match for Argentina who had an international game at West Ham's stadium... Madness.'

In a move that has haunted countless defences over a glittering career, the then Barcelona star picks up the ball inside the West Ham half before driving purposefully towards goal.

Cutting in from the inside, he skips past one player and then another, while others scramble back in vain to catch up with him.

He then finds himself in the six-yard box at which point he cheekily chips the ball over a stranded goalkeeper and into the net.

Messi decides not to celebrate after his wondergoal, presumably out of respect for the poor youth side he has just ruthlessly humiliated.

The performance had echoes of the legend's countless devastating displays against English sides, including two goals in two Champions League finals against Man United (one in each of 2009 and 2011).

The 37-year-old is Argentina's record scorer with a whopping 109 goals in 187 matches and proudly lifted the World Cup as captain of his country in Qatar in 2022.

Messi nabbed 672 goals for Barcelona in 778 matches before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

He now plies his trade in the US and has found the net 14 times for Miami in the same number of games, assisting a further ten.

In a trophy-laden career, Messi has won the Copa America twice, the Champions League four times, La Liga ten times, and Ligue 1 twice. He has also picked up the Ballon d'Or eight times, most recently in 2023.