Published on 03:50 PM, February 28, 2018

‘Messi should be banned!’

Argentina's El Messiah sends the ball goal-bound to score the lone decider in injury time in their World Cup Group F encounter against Iran at Belo Horizonte. PHOTO: AFP File

Former Real Madrid and current Iran coach Carlos Quieroz joked that Lionel Messi is so good that he should be banned from football by FIFA.

Quieroz, who also worked under Sir Alex Ferguson as an assistant coach at Manchester United had the chance to coach some of the best in the world. The Iran coach was obviously joking because of very nature that Messi mesmerizes the world football. He believed that with Messi,  ‘something magical’ takes place, something that keeps football alive.

Queiroz’s Iran has been on the receiving end of one of Messi’s dazzling goals during the 2014 World Cup.

Iran had come close to attaining a 0-0 draw but Messi came up with an outstanding strike in injury time -- with all 11 Iran players behind the ball.

"I've always said that Messi is an extraordinary player," he told FIFA.com. "He's out of this world. If he were human, he wouldn't have had that magical moment in that match.

The Iran coach thought that the goal was so good that Iran did not take the result too negatively even after conceding in injury time.

"I don't usually like losing, but I didn't come away from that defeat with a negative feeling. It's when something magical like that happens that you know that football is alive and kicking, and that's why it's one of the best sports in the world to watch.

"And it's even more of a special moment when it comes from a player who shouldn't be allowed to play by FIFA until it's proven that he's actually human!"

The Portuguese will come across someone special in the upcoming World Cup  -- his countrymen Cristiano Ronaldo. Iran were drawn in the same group as Spain and Portugal in the Russia World Cup.

"It's going to be special, as it always is when you take on great players. In this case, it's the best player in the world," he said.