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Argentina captain Lionel Messi will have the opportunity to break two records held by the late Diego Maradona at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward currently has 19 appearances at the quadrennial event. He is two games behind Diego Maradona, who holds the record for the highest number of matches played by an Argentinian in the tournament.
Maradona also registered a total of eight assists during his playing career at the World Cups. Lionel Messi currently has five assists and needs four more to surpass the S.S.C. Napoli legend.
Five of Maradona's eight assists notably came in the 1986 edition, where he helped Argentina clinch football's greatest silverware.
Messi's Argentina are among the favorites going into the tournament. They will play their first game against Saudi Arabia next week. Prior to that, La Albiceleste will compete in a friendly against the UAE.
Gary Lineker weighs in on the Lionel Messi vs. Diego Maradona debate ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
One of England's greatest goalscorers, Gary Lineker, recently commented on the Messi vs Maradona debate. While Maradona guided his country to eternal glory in 1986, Messi's Argentina faltered in the 2014 final against Germany.
Weighing in on who is the best player between the legendary duo, Lineker told The Guardian:
"People talk about how Maradona must be better because he won the World Cup; well, I don't think that's quite the way you should judge things.
"For example, Maradona sticks [Jorge] Burruchaga through against Germany late on, Burruchaga finishes [the third goal in Argentina's 3-2 victory in the 1986 final]."
Reminding the world of Gonzalo Higuain's miss in the 2014 final (which came from a Lionel Messi through-ball), Lineker added:
"Messi sticks through [Gonzalo] Higuain, he goes through, misses [against Germany in a 1-0 final defeat in 2014]. If Higuain scores that, the debate is already gone. What I'm trying to say is: the greatest player in the world still needs a team."
Poland and Mexico are the other teams in Argentina's group for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Lionel Messi is in fine form ahead of the showpiece tournament. He has registered 12 goals and 14 assists in 19 games for PSG this season.
