When Lionel Messi searches for the lone prize missing from his stuffed trophy cabinet, the World Cup is missing. On Sunday, all eyes will be on him.
The 35-year-old will captain Argentina against France in the World Cup championship game, which Messi himself has acknowledged may be his last game on the grandest stage.
Messi, who has excelled throughout the tournament, has already lost in one World Cup final and will be eager to lead his country to its first victory since 1986.
In addition to the top award, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is still in the running for the Golden Boot and Golden Ball, but there are other prizes up for grabs on Sunday.
Messi already has far too many records to mention them all, but this weekend he has the opportunity to further cement his place in World Cup mythology.
Messi will break at least one record before he kicks a ball on Sunday, unless he gets sick or hurt like Ronaldo in the days leading up to the final.
With his performance against Croatia in the semi-final, the Argentine tied Lothar Matthaus for the most World Cup appearances with 25, making him the first player in history to feature in 26 World Cup games.
While Paolo Maldini of Italy presently holds the record for the most World Cup minutes played, Matthaus and Messi currently share the record for the most World Cup appearances.
Messi will break Maldini's record in the 23rd minute of the final, if he starts. Maldini has 2,216 World Cup minutes under his belt, while Messi is just slightly behind with 2,194.
With Messi poised to become the first player in World Cup history to have 20 direct goal involvements since records began in 1966, this record demonstrates Messi's extended efficiency in the final third.
The previous two records showcase his phenomenal endurance, while the current one highlights his impressive longevity.
In the semifinal victory against Croatia, Messi's magnificent assist for Julian Alvarez's second goal became his 19th direct goal participation at a World Cup, consisting of 11 goals and 8 assists.
With that total, he is tied for the most goals in tournament history with Miroslav Klose (16 goals, 3 assists), Cristiano Ronaldo (15 goals, 4 assists), and Gerd Muller (14 goals, 5 assists).
Therefore, for Messi to become the best offensive player in World Cup history, he just has to score or assist in the grand finals.
KBC shows world cup final
- Argentina vs France
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