Argentina's Lionel Messi dpa

Lionel Messi propels Argentina to World Cup final

By Eric Smithling | Last updated 12/13/22

Argentina is a win away from its first World Cup in 36 years. For Lionel Messi, that means he's one win away from the one title that's eluded him during his career.

Per Oddschecker, Argentina is the current favorite at -115 to win the World Cup.

Messi's reputation stacks up against the greatest soccer players of all-time. He's a seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, has been named Best Player in La Liga eight times and is a four-time Champions League champion.

In 17 seasons at Barcelona, Messi recorded 474 goals as he rose up the rank of all-time greats. The one thing his resume is lacking is a World Cup win. In his fifth attempt, he's looking to finish what he came close to accomplishing in 2014. In Messi's third World Cup appearance, Argentina lost to Germany 1-0 in the final at Rio de Janeiro.

TOO EASY FOR MESSI

HE PUTS ARGENTINA OUT IN FRONT IN THE SEMIFINALS pic.twitter.com/bUSJIBlsYK
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 13, 2022

He helped push the team to victory over Croatia on Tuesday. He scored on a penalty kick in the 34th minute. The 1-0 lead would be enough for the win, but Messi had an even more impressive play later in the match.

Up 2-0, Messi helped put the game away with an incredible assist on a goal by Julian Alvarez, his second of the match.

JULIAN ALVAREZ AGAIN

THREE for Argentina pic.twitter.com/Zdt4JW3EBi
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 13, 2022

The win against Croatia is the latest in Messi's attempt to rewrite the narrative around his World Cup career. In his four previous World Cups, Messi scored six goals. Through six games in the 2022 World Cup, Messi has five goals.

The World Cup Final is set for Sunday. Argentina will face either France or Morocco for a chance to win the nation's first World Cup since Diego Maradona led the team over West Germany 3-2 in 1986.

France knocked Argentina out of the 2018 World Cup in the Round of 16. Argentina won the two other meetings at the World Cup. The two nations first met in 1930 and again in 1978. Morocco and Argentina have never met in the World Cup.

More must-reads: