It had taken five attempts, and a record 26 World Cup finals matches, but the boy from Rosario, Lionel Messi, finally delivered to lift himself alongside that other Argentina footballing deity, Diego Maradona, who had taken his nation to the title in 1986.
Lionel Messi and the rest of Argentina’s starting line-up were absent from training on Thursday (December 15) amid concerns over the Argentina captain’s fitness.