"Bootless" Messi provides assist to sink Real Madrid

Lionel Messi provides celebrates with teammate Aleix Vidal [Photo: Courtesy]

Four little words that get shouted at youngsters playing football around the globe every single week.

And on Saturday Lionel Messi showed exactly why this command is so important, when he continued playing after losing his BOOT, picked out his teammate with a cross, and killed Real Madrid off in the dying embers of El Clasico.

Not everyone noticed what happened at the Bernabeu as the Argentine stormed past Marcelo on the right wing, leaving him for dust.

But after he dribbled around the Brazilian, the Barcelona superstar lost his boot when Marcelo stepped on his heel.

Refusing to let this little set-back get the better of him, the world's best player moved into the box with the ball and picked out his teammate Aleix Vidal.

Vidal found the back of the net to make the score 3-0 and put the icing on the top of the cake for the Catalan giants.

Barcelona are now 14 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, and Los Blancos will now need a miracle if they are to catch their rivals.

But despite the entire team earning praise for their sensational performance and result against their bitter rivals, it was Messi who once again stole the plaudits.

And many fans just couldn't believe he assisted without one of his boots.