For one of greatest footballers of all-time, Lionel Messi is yet to get his hands on the FIFA World Cup. Messi and Argentina's World Cup dream remains alive but an indefatigable Croatia side inspired by the enduring brilliance of Luka Modric stands in their way in Tuesday's semi-final in Doha. Now aged 35, this has been billed as Messi's last chance to win a World Cup, eight years on from Argentina's defeat in the final to Germany in Rio de Janeiro. He is determined to seize the chance and has already scored his first two goals in the knockout rounds of any World Cup, netting against Australia in the last 16 before his penalty against Netherlands.
World Cup glory would complete a wonderful career for the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, who is possibly the greatest club player ever. After years of being unfulfilled at international level he inspired Argentina to victory at last year's Copa America, but he knows there are no more dogged or durable opponents than Croatia.
A big question that is on the minds of all football fans is that whether he will retire after the FIFA World Cup, considering his age. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni on Monday was non-committal over the future of Lionel Messi but said he would "enjoy having him" while he was still playing. Messi, 35, admitted before the tournament that this would probably his last World Cup.
Scaloni, whose own short international career briefly crossed paths with that of Messi's, has expressed hope that the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner will continue to play international football. "Let's see if he keeps playing or not but for the moment we are just going to enjoy having him," he said. "It's the best thing that could happen to us and to the football world."
(With AFP inputs)