Messi on the brink of history - will it be his last World Cup game?

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Lionel Messi has scored 15 of his 21 World Cup goals in 2022 and 2026 Published 9 minutes ago By Charlotte Coates , BBC Sport journalist  and  Emma Smith , BBC Sport journalist Argentina are one win away from sporting immortality. Lionel Scaloni's side are bidding to become just the third team to win successive World Cups, after Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962). If they are to pip European champions Spain to the crown, they will need Lionel Messi to be at his best. Again. Is he the greatest of all time? Whatever your response to that statement - and it could be debated for hours - it cannot be denied that the Argentine maestro is among the best players to ever set foot on a pitch. Win on Sunday and Messi will become the first captain to lift the World Cup trophy twice. After perhaps underwhelming in his first four tournaments, he was outstanding in 2022 - as Argentina won the trophy - and is now just one goal behind Kylian Mbappe in his bid to become the World Cup's all-time leading scorer. It is remarkable to think that Messi initially retired from international football back in 2016 before changing his mind. Sunday's World Cup final will be his 34th appearance in the competition, but will it be the last we see of Messi in the famous blue and white stripes? BBC Sport looks at what might be next for the great man - and could he even aim to play at a seventh World Cup in 2030? To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Figure caption, 'Magnificent' - Messi scores hat-trick to equal Klose scoring record Will Messi's 'passion' take him to 2030 World Cup? If Messi decides to carry on with Argentina to 2030, then he would become the oldest outfield player to appear at a World Cup, at the age of 43 - unless, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo opts to keep going for Portugal. Not only could Messi add a new record to his long list, but he would have the chance to play in one of the centenary matches held in Argentina at the start of the next World Cup. Spanish football expert Guillem Balague doesn't think this is the last fans will be seeing of Messi at the World Cup. "Even if you hear it is the end, I doubt it but we'll see. I just see him with the national side, simply because he enjoys it," he said. "I don't see him being at Inter Miami in the MLS, still performing and then saying that's it and he's going to play out the rest of his career with Inter Miami." Messi's 2026 World Cup has been nothing short of sensational. He has scored eight goals in seven games - two goals behind tournament top scorer Mbappe - and has carried Argentina into the final with a series of virtuoso performances. Argentina boss Scaloni hailed Messi as the greatest player ever, saying: "He is history, a legend. I feel proud, he is the best footballer the world has ever seen and reaching a final at 39 is something unbelievable - and that is why I said we must enjoy him. "W