Lionel Messi's first post after winning the World Cup with Argentina breaks the internet

Lionel Messi finally achieved his childhood dream. It felt like a fairytale movie playing out in real life as Messi, after many attempts, at last, got his wish of lifting the FIFA World Cup. Messi has already confirmed it will be his last World Cup before the tournament and he made sure it became a memorable one as he scored two and set up another as Argentina ended their 36-year wait for a World Cup title. 

Messi's first post since winning World Cup 2022

After the win, Messi took to Instagram to reveal his thought on winning the coveted trophy. Messi was overcome with emotions after Argentina emerged victorious in a tense penalty shoot-out against France at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Messi opened the scoring for Argentina in the penalty shoot-out before goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made sure that Messi would return to Buenos Aires with the World Cup title. Messi's post has been liked by more than 42 million people.

'Champions of the world. So many times I dreamed it, so much I wanted it that I still don't fall, I can't believe it...... Thank you so much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us. We prove once again that Argentinians when we fight together and united we are able to achieve what we aim. The merit is of this group, which is above individuals, is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the one of all Argentinians... We did it!!! Let's go Argentina!!!!! We're seeing each other very soon," Messi captioned the post. 

Messi cements his legacy 

After finally winning the World Cup, Lionel Messi made his strongest case yet to be considered soccer’s greatest player of all time.

It will never be possible to say definitively, though, even after Argentina’s 4-2 penalty shootout victory over France on Sunday in the final at Lusail Stadium.

Messi has been his country’s inspiration throughout the tournament in Qatar and scored twice in the game that finished 3-3 through extra time.

“It’s just crazy that it became a reality this way,” Messi said. “I craved for this so much. I knew God would bring this gift to me. I had the feeling that this was the one.”

Kylian Mbappe certainly made Messi work for a golden trophy that had eluded him throughout his storied career. The France forward scored a hat trick as the defending champions came back from 2-0 down and then evened the match again after Messi made it 3-2 in extra time.

But this was Messi’s night and Messi’s World Cup.

“It took so long, but here it is,” Messi said. “We suffered a lot, but we managed to do it.”

For some, no one will ever surpass Pele, who won the World Cup three times with Brazil. Even in Messi’s homeland of Argentina, Diego Maradona remains, for many, the country’s ultimate soccer icon after captaining the national team to the 1986 World Cup title.

And for the past 15 years or so, Messi has had a personal rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo just to establish himself as the finest player of his generation.

Competition is fierce when it comes to determining the greatest of all time, or the GOAT, as it has come to be known. It can come down to the smallest of margins that separate players of such brilliance.

Messi’s failure to win the sport’s biggest prize has always counted against him when measuring his achievements against Pele and Maradona. The same goes for Ronaldo.

Messi is a seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world and lifted club soccer’s biggest prize, the Champions League trophy, on four occasions. He ended his wait for a first major trophy with his country at last year’s Copa America.

The World Cup, however, is the ultimate measure of greatness and Pele and Maradona secured immortality with inspirational performances on that stage.

That had eluded Messi until Sunday.

Yes, he was part of the Argentina team that lost to Germany 1-0 in the 2014 final, but the magic he produced game in, game out during his peak years for Barcelona never seemed to translate when wearing the blue and white stripes of his country.

At 35 and nearing the end of his career, the tournament in Qatar was widely seen as his final shot at the World Cup. And if that is the case, he saved his best for last.

(with AP inputs)