Lionel Messi has the chance to strengthen his claim as football's greatest player if he leads Argentina to a second successive FIFA World Cup title in Sunday's final against Spain at MetLife Stadium. The venue also holds painful memories for the Argentine captain, who announced his retirement from international football there a decade ago after another heartbreaking defeat.
Messi had turned 29 in June 2016 and was already regarded as one of the finest players in football history. By then, he had won five Ballon d'Or awards and helped Barcelona lift the UEFA Champions League trophy four times, including in 2015.
