Lionel Messi will be the undoubted GOAT if he can conquer the world with Argentina again

For so long, the narrative around Lionel Messi fixated on his need to win a World Cup in order to be viewed in the same light as Pele and Diego Maradona.

Whatever claims Messi has at the greatest footballer of all-time would only be given true credence if he could lead Argentina to glory on the biggest stage of all.

It was a box he ticked emphatically four years ago. Messi was named player of the tournament and scored twice in the final as Argentina beat France on penalties at the end of a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Yet, even still, there remains a reluctance in some quarters to recognise him as the greatest footballer ever to play the game.

Especially those of an older generation, there always seems to be a preference for either Pele or Maradona when it comes to conversations about the greatest of all-time.

Now comes the chance to end the debate once and for all. If Messi can lead Argentina to back-to-back titles, he would sit head and shoulders above the rest. Bar none.

Pele’s three World Cups – won in 1958, 1962 and 1970 – remain the statistical peak. No player can match those three triumphs.

Pele shone brightest as a teenage prodigy in ’58. In the years that followed, Brazil’s collective brilliance helped carry the burden.

Maradona’s masterpiece in 1986 will forever be the gold standard of one player dragging their country through the tournament and almost winning a World Cup single-handedly.

All of this came when both players were at their peak, and also at a time when the World Cup was much more condensed in terms of the format.

Messi won a World Cup at 35, a time when many other players have retired. If he were to win a second at 39, his brilliance and longevity would be unmatched.

Pele and Maradona were players who defined their eras; Messi is a player who has transcended eras. He may be slower and less explosive than he once was, but his artistry remains Argentina’s greatest strength.