'He gives us confidence and joy' - Messi dazzles with Copa America quarter-final free kick against Ecuador

Lionel Messi scored a free kick to cap his excellent performance in a 3-0 victory over Ecuador on Saturday in the Copa America quarter-finals, drawing effusive praise from his team-mates.

The forward also assisted twice - once without looking at his target as he made the pass - in a Man of the Match effort that prompted Nico Gonzalez to say the entire squad draws "confidence and joy" from his play.

Argentina will face Colombia in the final four on Tuesday, and Messi will try to build on his output of four goals and four assists so far in the tournament.

What happened?

What has been said?

"Messi surprises us day by day, he gets stronger and stronger and infects us all," said forward Nico Gonzalez. "He gives us confidence and joy. You have to continue down this path and enjoy it."

Added Lautaro: "We all follow Messi's leadership. Today we saw again how he makes a difference and we are all accompanying him."

Messi responds to free kick reaction

"I always say it: individual [moments] are secondary, we are here for something else," Messi said. "I want to congratulate the group for the work they are doing - we have been away from our families for many days."

Bigger picture

All signs now point to a Brazil vs Argentina final, as the powerhouse sides have each ripped through their respective fixtures and now stand just one more win apiece from facing one another with the Copa America trophy up for grabs. Messi and Neymar have lived up to expectations to help their nations advance to this stage.

The Selecao will play Peru in the semi-final, while the Albiceleste will take on Colombia.

Further reading