Lionel Messi has the opportunity on Sunday to win the one trophy that has eluded him while wearing the Argentina jersey, a FIFA World Cup. The 35-year-old came close in 2014, but fell to Germany.
Now eight years later, the Paris Saint-Germain star has the opportunity to redeem himself in what’s likely his last World Cup. For Messi to be considered as one of the great teams, the veteran forward needs to beat France.
However, former France international and Manchester United defender Patrice Evra doesn’t believe that should be the case, stating that Messi is already one of the greatest even if he doesn’t win the World Cup.
“Messi, Ronaldo, they’re already the greatest,” Evra said. “I think this is for the Argentina player to put it by the same level of Diego Maradona. But even when they say Messi [has not had] a great record with the Argentina national team, actually he already plays six finals with them.
“So the debate is not Messi to be the greatest … he’s already the greatest, but it is for the Argentina people to put him at the same level as Diego Armando Maradona.”
🗣️ “Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo are already the greatest.” @Evra says Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo don’t need to win the World Cup to be recognised as the best to ever do it. ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/OdinhhECGH
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) December 16, 2022
Evra is correct when stating that to be on the same level as Diego Maradona, Messi needs a World Cup on his resume, or perhaps many will view a status below the former footballer who won the tournament in 1986, the last time Argentina won the competition.
