\n
\nDOHA: As Lionel Messi approaches his second and likely last World Cup final, the stakes could hardly be higher.<\/p>\n
\nThe same goes for Argentina after more than 30 years of disappointment since it last won soccer\u2019s ultimate prize.<\/p>\n
\nFor Messi, victory against France at Lusail Stadium on Sunday is a chance to finally get his hands on the one major trophy that has eluded him in his storied career.<\/p>\n
\nIn doing so, he would push ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has also never won a World Cup, in the long-running rivalry between the two greatest players of their generation.<\/p>\n
\nWhile 37-year-old Ronaldo exited the tournament at the quarterfinals stage, benched by Portugal and in tears in the likely recognition that his last chance had passed, Messi is summoning some of his finest moments in an Argentina shirt to inspire his country\u2019s run to the final.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cEach time we see him play, he makes us and the players feel something special,\u201d Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. \u201cThere\u2019s something about him that people like, not only Argentines.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe feel lucky and privileged to have him wear our shirt.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nMessi\u2019s place alongside Diego Maradona as one of Argentina\u2019s two most iconic soccer stars has been secure for some time now. But he is yet to emulate Maradona\u2019s greatest achievement by leading his national team to a World Cup title.<\/p>\n
\nMaradona did that in Mexico in 1986 and Messi has lived with the expectation of repeating the feat since he emerged as a prodigy at Barcelona nearly 20 years ago.<\/p>\n
\nThere have been numerous false hopes during that time.<\/p>\n
\nThere was the potential \u201cdream team\u201d of Maradona as coach and Messi as star player in South Africa in 2010. But Argentina went out in the quarterfinals after being beaten 4-0 by Germany.<\/p>\n
\nIn 2014, with Messi approaching his peak years, Argentina reached the final in Brazil.<\/p>\n
\nAgain it faced Germany. Again Messi was on the losing side, beaten 1-0 through extra time.<\/p>\n
\nAt the age of 35, he knew this was probably his last shot at the World Cup and he has risen to the occasion as the tournament\u2019s co-leading scorer with France forward Kylian Mbappe with five goals.<\/p>\n
\nPerhaps more notable have been his assists, such as the disguised pass for Nahuel Molina\u2019s goal against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
\nThen there was his mesmerizing run, turning Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol inside out, before setting up Julian Alvarez for Argentina\u2019s third in the semis.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt\u2019s at least something I can talk (about) with my kids one day that I guarded this great, great player,\u201d Gvardiol said Thursday.<\/p>\n
\nThose assists have been indicative of the fact that Messi can no longer do it on his own. The emergence of Alvarez, with four goals, has been vital to Argentina\u2019s progress.<\/p>\n
\nMessi doesn\u2019t dominate for an entire 90 minutes anymore. Instead, he decides matches with key moments.<\/p>\n
\nHe isn\u2019t as dynamic as he was in his younger years, but he has been more influential than at any of his previous four World Cups.<\/p>\n
\nWhile Messi is aiming to complete his personal collection of trophies, having won four Champions League titles and seven Ballon d\u2019Or awards for the best player in the world, Argentina are looking to end their long wait for a third World Cup.<\/p>\n
\nThey won the tournament for the first time when hosting in 1978 and then again eight years later thanks to Maradona.<\/p>\n
\nMessi was supposed to emulate that feat long before now.<\/p>\n
\nIf he retires without ever winning the World Cup, then how much longer will Argentina have to wait?<\/p>\n
\nNo wonder each moment of Messi magic and every win is greeted with such an outpouring of emotion.<\/p>\n
\nThe sense of anticipation is growing among Argentina fans, who have lit up the tournament in a sea of blue and white, marching through the streets of Qatar.<\/p>\n
\nMessi is feeding the belief that this could be their time again.<\/p>\n
\nIf this is his farewell tour, he has given his supporters a wild ride along the way.<\/p>\n
\nAnd with or without a World Cup, Scaloni has no doubt about Messi\u2019s status as the greatest of all time.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt seems like we say that just because we\u2019re Argentinians and we fall into the trap of being selfish because it is very Argentinian to say that,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I think there are no doubts.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n
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