Javier Zanetti predicts Argentina captain Lionel Messi to win 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot and Golden Ball
Former Argentina defender Javier Zanetti believes Lionel Messi will win both the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball at this year's FIFA World Cup.
The Albicelestes are among the favorites to win the Qatar tournament and are on an incredible run of 35 matches unbeaten. That run included a victory in the Copa America in 2021, when they defeated Brazil 1-0 in the final to claim their first trophy since 1993.
🗣 Leo Messi: “When we won Copa América I couldn't believe it, I didn’t know how to explain it but it was like saying 'that's it, what I needed was given', it was one of the goals I needed to try to close everything. It was fundamental to be able to win something with Argentina.” https://t.co/4azRGVKIfT
They have failed to win the World Cup since 1986 and victory later this year would make them the first non-European winners since Brazil in 2002. The tournament will be Lionel Messi's fifth and final opportunity to win the one prize that has eluded him throughout his extraordinary career.
The PSG superstar came closest to winning the title in 2014, when his team lost 1-0 to Germany in the final after extra time. The forward was given the Golden Ball for being the best player in the competition in Brazil.
Argentina legend Zanetti was asked by Ezzequiel who he believes will win the World Cup Golden Boot, to which he replied "Messi"(as per All About Argentina). Zanetti, who has made 145 appearances for his country, also believes that the PSG forward will be the World Cup's best player this summer.
The former full-back was asked which team he would like the South American giants to avoid in the final if they progress to that stage. He simply answered: "France."
• Which team would you like to avoid to face in theoric World Cup final?
🗣 Zanetti: “France.”
• Against which team would you like to win theorical World Cup final?
🗣 Zanetti: “Brazil.”
• Who’ll win WC golden ball?
🗣 Zanetti: Messi
• Top scorer of WC?
🗣 Zanetti: Messi https://t.co/8smmPJvljb
Argentina icon Lionel Messi confirms 2022 FIFA World Cup will be his last
The former Barcelona attacker has enjoyed an excellent start to the season at PSG and appears to be in ominous form ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
Lionel Messi has scored eight times and provided eight assists in his 13 appearances so far this term, but has revealed that the upcoming World Cup will be his last. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner told Star+ (as translated by The Mirror):
"If it is my last World Cup? Yes, surely yes, surely yes. I feel good physically. I can have a very good preseason this year that I hadn't done the year before because of how everything went.
"I started training late, playing without rhythm, with the tournament already started, then I went to the national team. When I came back, I had an injury and I never finished starting."
Pep says there's no one like Messi 🐐 https://t.co/ZWKe9nw6yN