Argentina beat Nigeria in the 2005 World Youth Championship final, with Lionel Messi scoring both of Argentina’s goals. Argentina won 2–1 at Stadion Galgenwaard in Utrecht on 2 July 2005.
Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 40th minute after being fouled in the area. Nigeria equalised through Chinedu Obasi early in the second half, but Argentina received another penalty in the 85th minute after Sergio Agüero was fouled. Messi converted again to secure the title.
The tournament was Messi’s first major international competition with Argentina’s youth team and helped establish him as one of football’s most exciting young players. He won both the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot, finishing as the tournament’s outstanding player and leading scorer.
The wording can cause confusion because the competition was then called the FIFA World Youth Championship. From 2007 onward, FIFA renamed it the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Nigeria, rather than Brazil or Spain, was Argentina’s opponent in the final.