Lionel Messi is now just two wins away from finally getting his hands on the World Cup which could cement his legacy as the greatest of all time.
The Paris Saint-Germain star scored and assisted in Argentina’s thrilling quarter-final victory over the Netherlands to reach the last four.
Getty
Messi hopes to bow out with only missing trophy
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner received all the accolades of the game, with the World Cup only missing from his collection.
Messi, a beaten finalist in 2014, is in the twilight of his brilliant career and knows that the Qatar tournament is his last chance for glory.
The 35-year-old is trying to sign onto the big stage in the same way as a number of icons who came before him.
But sometimes football refuses to follow the fairy tale script with Messi knowing by next week whether he will have the end of his history book.
Maradona holds the World Cup in the air in 1986
Ronaldo Nazario – Storybook
El Fenomeno will always be remembered as one of the greatest strikers to ever play football and an important role in establishing that legacy was his heroism at the 2002 World Cup.
Ronaldo was just 17 when he was chosen for the 1994 World Cup squad, but he failed to appear as Brazil won the tournament.
The ex-Barcelona striker was top about four years later as he led the A Selecao to a second straight final, but a grab suffered beforehand saw France go down 3-0.
Ronaldo spent the following years plagued by injuries, but returned to rewrite his World Cup history in 2002.
And he more than claimed his redemption, scoring twice in the final against Germany as he won both the Golden Boot and Brazil lifted their fifth World Cup.
His last World Cup in 2006 may have come past his prime, but he still had enough in the tank to score the three goals needed to make him the league’s all-time top scorer. competition with 15 – a record eight. years until Miroslav Klose in 2014.
AFP
Ronaldo won the World Cup in 2002 but still became the competition’s top scorer four years later.
Cristiano Ronaldo – Horror Show
From one Ronaldo to another!
Arriving in Qatar, many fans touted the World Cup as the chance to settle the GOAT debate between Ronaldo and Messi when they last appeared in the final.
The 37-year-old is said to have been hoping for a goal after becoming the first man to score in five separate World Cups in their opener against Ghana.
Yet he lost his place in the starting lineup following an alleged fallout with head coach Fernando Santos.
And Ronaldo broke down in tears after failing to prevent Portugal from withdrawing from the competition with a 1-0 loss to Morocco.
The result means the former Manchester United star has failed to score in his eight World Cup knockout stage appearances despite taking 27 shots in 570 minutes.
Getty
Ronaldo left the pitch in tears
Pelé – Storybook
As a player, he spent his best years playing for Santos, but used the World Cup every four years to show a global audience what he could do.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento announced himself as the youngest player to win a World Cup aged 17 in 1958, during which he scored six goals, including two in the final as Brazil beat Sweden 5-2.
He was part of the A Selecao team that defended their title four years later, but suffered an injury early in the tournament.
Pele was then so fouled in the 1966 edition that he claimed it was his last World Cup to pull off a dramatic comeback in Mexico in 1970.
And the legendary Brazilian made sure to sign off his tenure in iconic fashion by winning the third of his World Cup titles.
In his last World Cup outing, Pele guided Brazil to a 4-1 win over Italy in which he scored and assisted two more.
Rex
Pele has won the World Cup a record three times for Brazil – more than anyone in history
Zinedine Zidane – Horror Show
The 2006 final was supposed to be the swan song of one of football’s greatest ever players and yet it turned into something much worse.
Zidane was the face of France’s first World Cup triumph on home soil in 1998.
The Real Madrid icon received a red card for a stamp against Saudi Arabia in the group stage to return to lead the hosts to glory with a brace to beat Brazil 3-0 in the final.
A thigh tear limited Zidane to a brief appearance four years later as the Blues fell at the first hurdle of their title defense by finishing bottom of their group.
Zizou was hoping to bring down the curtain in style on his career as 2006 rolled around as France returned to the final.
He scored to put them 1-0 up against Italy – only to be shown a red card for head-butting Marco Materazzi and watching from the touchline as his side ultimately lost on penalties.
Getty
Zidane was sent off in the final for headbutting Marco Materazzi. It was his last action as a professional footballer
Franz Beckenbauer – Storybook
Der Kaiser lays claim to being the greatest in World Cup history – as one of only three men to win it as a player and manager.
His tournament debut in 1966 saw him finish tied for third top scorer as a barnstorming midfielder, but West Germany eventually fell to England.
Beckenbauer then played in a sling after suffering a broken collarbone and dislocated shoulder in the semi-finals four years later.
The 4-3 win for Italy has since been dubbed the ‘game of the century’, but Beckenbauer wasn’t done there.
In 1974, as captain and now playing in defence, he helped close out Johan Cruyff’s Netherlands to win a World Cup final on home soil.
And 16 years later he only went on to lift the trophy again as West Germany manager, with a 1-0 victory over Argentina proving to be his last game in charge.
Beckenbauer captained West Germany at the 1974 World Cup
Diego Maradona – Horror Show
Messi has shouldered the burden of trying to emulate his compatriot’s greatest exploits at the World Cup throughout his international career.
Yet, ironically, Messi’s last game at the tournament could be a game of utter jubilation that Maradona never proved to be.
In 1986, Maradona was the inspirational captain who carried Argentina to glory, scoring the greatest goal of the World Cup as well as the most controversial in a win over England.
He was beyond his prime four years later and yet came close to helping La Albiceleste retain their crown.
In America 1994, Maradona intended to pull out of the World Cup with one last moment of magic – a thunderbolt in a 4-0 win over Greece.
But he was kicked out of the tournament in disgrace for doping when he tested positive for ephedrine in his last international as a player.
Maradona returned to the World Cup in 2010 as manager of Argentina, but a humble 4-0 loss to Germany in the quarter-finals spelled the end.
Getty
Diego Maradona was expelled from the 1994 World Cup for doping
Watch the World Cup with talkSPORT
At talkSPORT, we’re powered by fans, so come join us for the ultimate World Cup fan experience this winter – at the talkSPORT fan zone.
In a huge covered room under the arches of Waterloo in London, we will bring you live screenings of every World Cup match.
There will be Q&A with talkSPORT talent, you’ll be part of our live shows and plenty of food and drink will be on offer too.
Come and have the best World Cup fan experience in London – and enjoy a complimentary pint – with tickets for all remaining matches on sale HERE!
