FIFA World Cup 2022: Can magical Messi perform one last trick for Argentina?

The words Argentina and Lionel Messi go hand-in-hand whenever football comes to mind. Argentina's all-time top scorer has won almost everything the game of football has to offer.

However, there's one trophy he hasn't been able to lay his hands on - the FIFA World Cup. And he has already announced that the final on Sunday will be his last World Cup game, his last dance.

Leading his team by example, the 35-year-old has managed to take Argentina into the final showdown where they will be facing defending champions France.

Winning the quadrennial tournament this year will be a fairytale end to a tumultuous international career, but as they say, all's well that ends well.

It will be a dream come true, one that started in his childhood and reached its fever pitch ever since he donned the famous sky blue and white shirt.

If losing to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final wasn't enough, there was more heartbreak in store, one that left Messi in tears at the 2016 Copa America final where he missed a crucial spot-kick in the penalty shootout against Chile that cost Argentina the title. Despair followed and Messi, in fact, announced he'll be retiring from international football right after the game.

Cristiano Ronaldo winning the Euros with Portugal in 2016 didn't make it any easier for the Argentine as the footballing world started disregarding the 7 Ballon D'or that he won, calling CR7 the GOAT due to his continental achievement. However, La Pulga decided to give it yet another go and came out of retirement to give Argentina its first Copa America title since 1993, the first continental championship in 28 years.

Having won an impressive 41 career titles so far, Messi doesn't need to prove to the world what a great player he is. However, winning the biggest tournament in world football on Sunday will put an end to the 'GOAT' debate once and for all.

Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2022: Messi's hometown Rosario all set for World Cup glory!