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As Argentina prepares to face Spain in Sunday's spectacular World Cup final in New Jersey, the narrative belongs entirely to Lionel Messi. At 39 years old, he has turned this tournament into a timeless masterclass, spearheading his country's title defense with an astonishing eight goals and four assists.
Reinventing himself from a lethal early-stage finisher into a clutch playmaker, evidenced by his two brilliant assists to unlock England in the semi-final, Messi continues to completely defy age. He enters Sunday on the cusp of yet another historic footballing crowning.
Here a few key points to ponder before the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday:
** Lionel Messi and Argentina will try to become the first team to defend a World Cup title since 1962.
** Argentina captain Messi, 39, will be playing in his third World Cup final in what is almost certainly likely to be his last appearance in the tournament.
** Messi enters the weekend tied with France's Kylian Mbappe for the tournament lead with 8 goals, and with 4 assists is one shy of Mbappe's teammate Michael Olise. (This is before France play England in Saturday's third-place match)
** After winning Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024 with Argentina, Messi is attempting to help his homeland become the third back-to-back World Cup champion, following Italy in 1934 and 1938, and Pele's Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
** Messi gave Argentina a different kind of icon to Maradona: quieter in public, but with greater global reach and longevity.
** He won nearly every major honour at club level with Barcelona, becoming the face of a dominant side, though that success made him a target for rival fans.
** His rivalry with Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo added another layer, splitting global football into Messi and Ronaldo camps.
** After years of being compared to Maradona and nagged for failing to deliver a major tournament title for his country, Messi led Argentina to the 2022 title in Qatar.
** His continuing presence has made Argentina a magnet for admirers, including in India and Bangladesh, many miles from Argentina. But others have wearied of the Messi-centric narrative and the adulation surrounding him.
