Previously unseen footage from Argentina’s 2010 World Cup camp has revealed Lionel Messi casually controlling the Jabulani from a hotel-room chair.

Former Newcastle midfielder Jonás Gutiérrez shared the video, which was recorded while Argentina were competing in South Africa 16 years ago.

The clip begins with Maxi Rodríguez performing keep-ups while sitting on the edge of a bed as Martín Demichelis watches. Rodríguez then sends the ball across the room to Messi, who remains seated and immediately takes control.

Messi proceeds to complete well over 100 touches, alternating between his feet and introducing several tricks without appearing particularly concerned by the difficulty involved.

Even an awkward return from Rodríguez is brought under control before Messi continues as though the Jabulani had not spent the tournament being blamed for moving unpredictably through the air.

Gutiérrez later joked that he had chosen not to demonstrate his own ability because he did not want to upstage Messi. Sergio Agüero was also impressed, describing his former Argentina teammate as having a magnet on his feet.

The footage was recorded during a tournament in which Argentina eventually suffered a 4-0 quarter-final defeat to Germany. It nevertheless confirms that at least one member of Diego Maradona’s squad had developed a reliable working relationship with the competition’s most controversial piece of equipment.

The Jabulani spent the 2010 World Cup being accused of refusing to obey professional footballers. Messi apparently solved the problem by sitting down.