Lionel Messi seeks glory when Argentina meets France in World Cup final

It is w or never for Lionel Messi.

Argentina superstar's once-in-a-generation career will be defined — for many — by wher he les his country to World Cup title on Sunday.

Can he finally, at of 35, win soccer's biggest prize to secure his place alongside Pelé and Diego Marona in panon of game's greatest-ever players? Standing in his way are France, defending champion, and Kylian Mbappé, player best positioned to take over from Messi and Cristia Ronaldo as soccer's marquee name.

That's if he hasn't alrey.

Mbappé is also standing on cusp of history heing into match at 80,000-seat Lusail Stium, a title decider that is filled with storylines.

23-year-old France forward is looking to emulate Pelé by being a champion at his first two World Cups and setting up prospect of a third title, a feat only ever achieved by Brazil great who has been hospitalized during this year's tournament because of a respiratory infection.

Mbappé was 19 when he led France to its second World Cup title in 2018, becoming youngest scorer in a final since a 17-year-old Pelé did so in 1958. While Pelé ended up being a peripheral figure in Brazil's 1962 triumph — he didn't play in kckout st because of injury — Mbappé has been France's go-to player in team's bid to repeat.

Indeed, Mbappé enters final tied as tournament's leing scorer with five goals. player alongside him? Messi, of course.

Who wins Golden Boot — award for top scorer — is just one of many or narratives around final.

re's France, dominant national team of this generation, looking to become first to win back-to-back World Cups since Brazil in 1962. country that produced Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry and w Mbappé will be playing in final for fourth time in last seven World Cups, more than anyone else.

n re's Didier Deschamps, a World Cup winner as a player in 1998 and w bidding to win it two times as a coach. Vittorio Pozzo was only or man to coach two world champion teams, with Italy in 1934 and 1938.

Like France, Argentina is seeking a third World Cup title — after 1978 and 1986 — to move into outright fourth place in all-time list. It would end a 36-year wait for soccer's biggest prize, since Marona's string of virtuoso performances in Mexico in 1986.

That me Marona forever a hero in Argentina and an icon around soccer world. Messi w appears to be at that level — win or lose on Sunday when he'll play in a record 26th World Cup match.

Messi has evoked comparisons with Marona in way he has pushed Argentina to final, scoring five goals, setting up three more and thrilling his team's legion of fans, who have poured into Qatar throughout World Cup in numbers only really matched by those from Morocco.

In that sense, it will seem like a home game for Argentina, with France's supporters sure to be heavily outnumbered amid a sea of blue-and-white jerseys — many of which will have “MESSI 10” written on m.

It is hard to pick a winner.

France is a hardened tournament team with plenty of experience and quality to eke out wins when t playing at its best. Deschamps has kept France's level high despite losing key players ahe of tournament like Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante, Presnel Kimpembe and Karim Benzema, reigning world player of year.

French are masters of being pragmatic, defending compactly and breaking at pace, typically through Mbappé down left and through Antoine Griezmann, who reinvented himself over past month as a midfield playmaker.

Indeed, expect to see Mbappé and Messi walking around a lot during game, t boring to defend or press. That is in script, rar than m being lazy. Part of skill of Deschamps and Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni is ir ability to forge a team that has learned to defend a man light.

As for Argentina, team is largely set up simply to get best out of Messi, with Scaloni likely to select a quartet of central midfielders like in 3-0 win over Croatia in semifinals. y will scrap and press, and n give ball to Messi to weave his magic. Or to Julián Álvarez, striker who started tournament as a backup for that unthinkable 2-1 opening loss to Saudi Arabia and w is undroppable with four goals to his name.

Álvarez is pinching himself that, at 22 and pretty much at start of his career, he is attacking foil for Messi at great man's last World Cup.

Similarly, tens of thousands of spectators inside stiums in Qatar, and millions watching on television around world, have continued to be amazed at magic Messi keeps on delivering.

Anyone who isn't French, or maybe a fervent fan of Ronaldo, is likely to be willing on Argentina's diminutive . 10 in biggest match of his career.

Eight years ago, Messi walked away from 1-0 loss to Germany in 2014 final with Golden Ball award for tournament's best player.

This time, he'll want inste to be lifting ar trophy, me of 18-carat solid gold, to cap a career like or.