Lionel Messi: PSG star scores corker v Benfica after combining with Neymar | OneFootball

Lionel Messi is playing some of the best football of his distinguished career right now.

Last season at Paris Saint-Germain, the little Argentine genius was a pale shadow of the man we’ve seen dominate European football for well over a decade.

But thankfully, that’s all in the past, with Messi now firmly back to his dazzling best.

Going into PSG's Champions League group stage match away at Benfica on Wednesday, the 35-year-old had racked up some seriously impressive numbers.

In nine Ligue 1 matches thus far in 2022/23, he's scored five goals and assisted a further seven.

A number of those strikes in PSG colours were quite superb as well, although his best of the season may have come against Benfica.

The Barcelona legend opened the scoring in Lisbon with the most perfect of first-time finishes with his left peg.

It was a sweeping move from PSG, with Messi and beloved partner-in-crime Neymar combining to devastating effect.

Kylian Mbappe played a very important role too.

Check out the goal in all its beauty...

Video: Messi's stunner for PSG vs Benfica

What. A. Goal.

He makes it look so, so easy, when in reality a finish of that quality is ridiculously hard to pull off - particularly when opposing defenders are in close proximity and you're almost forced to take it first-time.

Messi has now scored against 40 (yes, FORTY!) different teams in the Champions League, which is an all-time record.

The man is just different gravy and in this kind of form, he stands a chance of adding Ballon d'Or number eight to his collection next October.

Messi back to his best ahead of the 2022 World Cup

Messi hitting his best form will concern the rest of football's top nations heading to the Qatar World Cup later this year.

Not only are current Copa America holders Argentina on a 35-game unbeaten run, their talisman is now back destroying defenders for fun and that means La Albiceleste are going to a seriously tough team to beat.

Argentina have been drawn against Poland, Mexico and Saudi Arabia in the tournament's opening round, which looks a mouthwatering group on paper.