The wait is over. After 36 years of waiting, Maradona's successors have finally lifted the World Cup. The Albiceleste have finally won the elusive golden trophy, leaving the entire football world in raptures.
Argentina set foot in the Middle Eastern country of Qatar with the goal of winning the World Cup. However, those hopes began to fade after losing to Saudi Arabia in the first match of the group stage. However, in a great comeback, led by Lionel Messi, the Latin American team surprised everyone and reached the final.
And the entire football world witnessed a thrilling final at Qatar's Lusail Stadium on Sunday, when Argentina beat France in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw in regulation time to lift their third World Cup title.
Messi has led the team from the front and has shone brightly from start to finish in this World Cup with a magical performance. He has also put himself in the record books. Let's see what records and achievements Messi has achieved in the Qatar World Cup.
1. Messi is the first footballer in history to score in the group stage, last 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final of a World Cup.
2. Messi has played a record 19 matches wearing the captain's armband at the World Cup stage. The next two places on this list are Mexico's Rafa Marquez (17) and Argentina legend Diego Maradona (16).
3. Messi has played a total of 26 matches in the World Cup, including the final in Lusail, breaking Germany's Luther Matthaus' record of 25 matches.
4. Messi is now Argentina's top scorer in the blue and white jersey with 7 goals in this World Cup. Next on the list are Gabriel Batistuta (10), Maradona (8), Guillermo Stabile (8), Mario Kempes (6) and Gonzalo Higuain (5).
5. Messi is the only footballer to have set the record for assists in five different World Cups. Brazilian legend Pele, Poland's Jeggos Lato, Argentina's Maradona and England's David Beckham have all assisted in three tournaments.
6. The gap between Messi's first and last goal on the World Cup stage is 16 years and 184 days. Which is the longest in history. Next in line is Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo. That period is 16 years and 160 days.
7. Messi played 2,314 minutes in the World Cup, breaking the previous record of 2,217 minutes held by Italy's Paolo Maldini.
8. Messi has won the Man of the Match award 11 times, the most in World Cup history. He won the award in five of his seven matches in Qatar. FIFA started giving the award at the 2002 World Cup.
9. Messi is the first player since the 1966 World Cup in England to score a double of goals and assists in three different matches in a single World Cup. La Pulga is also the first footballer to score a goal and assist in four different matches at the World Cup stage.
10. Messi has won 16 matches in the World Cup. However, only Germany's Miroslav Klose has won more than Lm10, with 17 wins.
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