Over the years, the United States has faced the likes of England’s Wayne Rooney at the 2010 World Cup, Brazil’s Ronaldinho at the 1999 Confederations Cup and Italy’s Paolo Maldini, one of the best left backs in history, at the 1990 World Cup, as well as Brazil’s duo of Bebeto and Romário and Romania’s Gheorghe Hagi, some of the top players of their era, at the 1994 World Cup.

At the 1934 World Cup, the United States lost by 7-1 to Italy, and one of the goals was scored by Giuseppe Meazza, whom some historians consider the best player Italy has produced. At the 1998 World Cup, Klinsmann scored against the United States toward the end of his prolific career as one of the most dangerous attackers for the world champions West Germany and Germany.

But in recent memory, there is nothing that quite resembles Tuesday’s challenge. Two years ago Ronaldo did not enjoy the kind of team support from Portugal that Messi does now with Javier Mascherano, Ángel Di María (when healthy), Sergio Agüero and particularly Higuaín, Argentina’s penetrating No. 9, who scored twice against Venezuela.

Spend too much time focusing on either Messi or Higuaín, and the other could act decisively.

“We have two strikers who are really exceptional,” Gerardo Martino, Argentina’s coach, said after Saturday’s match. “I cannot repeat it enough; I really feel this. People in Argentina have a hard time accepting the quality of soccer players that we have. We have two No. 9s, and we proceed with what we feel is best.”

Martino watched Venezuela hack down Messi several times in the quarterfinal game and said the United States would certainly use every possible means to stop him.

“I just hope that every possible way is a legal way,” he said at a news conference Monday.

As superb as Messi is, some believe that he will not have achieved his true potential until he wins a major trophy for Argentina, just as he has numerous times for the club team Barcelona. But after tying Gabriel Batistuta’s record of 54 international goals for Argentina on Saturday, Messi said he felt no pressure.