"My ultimate dream is to win the World Cup and celebrate that victory with Argentina and make the Argentina people happy," Messi told Sky Sports Network.

The Barcelona prodigy had a great season with the club, scoring seven times and earning himself a first-team spot.

Although he was compared more than once to Argentinean legend Diego Armando Maradona, the 18-year-old Messi insists he doesn't feel any burden.

"It is nice to hear Maradona praising me, he is simply the best," Messi said.

"I don't feel under pressure at all, I try to enjoy myself every time I play, comments people make don’t affect me at all."

Messi is likely to be out of his country's World Cup opener due to a thigh injury that he sustained last February in Barcelona's UEFA Champions League clash with Chelsea.

Argentina is drawn in the World Cup's Group C alongside Holland, Serbia and Montenegro and Ivory Coast.