Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Andy Dunn

Why "difference-maker" Lionel Messi will be the World Cup final's most notable exception

Jurgen Klinsmann says will be the only player in the Lusail Stadium who does not have to put in the hard yards.

Klinsmann, who heads up FIFA’s technical study group, expects a tight, high-tempo game but believes others will do 35-year-old Messi’s running for him.

The German said: “(Julian) Alvarez has to do the defensive work - they let him (Messi) breathe for the special moments. The brilliance of Messi is the difference-maker. You put all your cards into his pocket - that is normal. One of the big discussions before the tournament was about which of the big superstars would put a stamp on the tournament and most of them have delivered.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.