PREVIEW-Soccer-With legacy intact, 'liberated' Messi can enjoy last hurrah

Whatever his body - ageing by footballers' standards - manages this time round, his legacy is intact. "You see the happiness that Leo has: he’s liberated," said ‌Jorge Valdano, a former Argentina striker who played in the Maradona-inspired team that won the World Cup in 1986.

When a euphoric Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup at the ​Lusail Stadium in Qatar at around 9 p.m. on ​December 18, 2022, he finally had nothing left ‌to ​prove.

Argentina's captain already had every possible accolade at club level, including eight Ballons d'Or as the world's best player. Yet until that night the World Cup had eluded him and kept ‌him in the shadow of Diego Maradona in Argentine eyes. Now, as a world champion, Messi heads into the 2026 tournament at peace. Whatever his body - ageing by footballers' standards - manages this time round, his legacy is intact.

"You see the happiness that Leo has: he’s liberated," said ‌Jorge Valdano, a former Argentina striker who played in the Maradona-inspired team that won the World Cup in 1986. Messi turns ‌39 this month and has had plenty of physical niggles in recent years.

Yet he could still play a big role, potentially as a game-changing substitute if unable to manage full games but certainly as an inspiration and father figure within the squad. "From a physical standpoint, things change, not only for Messi but for everyone," ⁠said Argentina ​coach Lionel Scaloni, who is ⁠realistic about his prized asset.

"The fact that he has won (a World Cup) won’t change his innate competitiveness. But it’s true that it has given him complete fulfilment. "There ⁠can be no doubting him now. He did it, and from here on in he can look at things with a fresh perspective."

IN FORM AT ​INTER MIAMI Messi has continued to impress at MLS team Inter Miami in the twilight of his career. He has guided ⁠them to three trophies, become their all-time top scorer and was the first player to win MLS Most Valuable Player in consecutive seasons.

During Argentina's World Cup qualifying ⁠campaign, ​he finished as the group's top scorer with eight goals in 12 games. At World Cups, he is Argentina´s youngest scorer aged 18 and all-time top scorer with 13 goals to Maradona´s eight. His 26 World Cup appearances are the most in the tournament's ⁠history.

However, muscle injuries have reduced his explosive bursts and few expect him to play throughout the tournament. Inevitably, Messi will once again ⁠be compared with Portugal striker Cristiano ⁠Ronaldo, who is 41.

The peerless pair are set to become the first players to appear in six World Cups. Yet whatever happens during this tournament, for many the debate over who is the ‌greatest was settled ‌on that night at the Lusail Stadium four years ago. (Writing by Andrew ​Cawthorne; Editing by Ken Ferris)