‘Not the best’: Former India coach Lionel Messi makes bold claim ahead of Argentina-Spain World Cup final

Argentine Lionel Messi (AP photo) As Lionel Messi prepares to lead Argentina to another FIFA World Cup final, former India coach and current Rwanda national team manager Stephen Constantine has made a bold assessment of the Argentine superstar, insisting that while Messi is among football’s greatest players, he is not “the best” in history.Speaking to PTI from Rwanda ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster final against Spain, the Englishman ranked Pelé, Diego Maradona and Ronaldinho above the 39-year-old, arguing that Argentina’s tactical setup allows Messi to conserve energy and maximize his attacking influence.Messi enjoyed a spectacular tournament, scoring eight goals and providing four assists as defending champions Argentina reached their second consecutive World Cup final, including a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over England in the semi-finals.

“Messi is unstoppable with the ball”

Constantine praised Messi’s brilliance in possession but said Argentina’s collective work allowed the captain to shine.“Messi is an amazing player, one of the best, but the difference is that Argentina have six or seven players who run behind him and get him the ball,” Constantine said.“When he has the ball, he’s almost unstoppable. But without that you’re effectively playing with 10 men because others have to cover his work. Argentina does it brilliantly. So yes, no, no, for me he’s not the best. He’s one of the best, but he’s not. I wouldn’t say he’s the best,” he added.The comments come ahead of what is expected to be Messi’s final World Cup appearance, with the Argentine icon seeking a fourth World Cup title for his country.

Constantine is backing Spain to lift the trophy

Despite acknowledging Argentina’s experience and Messi’s ability to decide matches on his own, Constantine believes Spain’s collective style gives them a slight edge in the title race.“Well, I think it’s going to be close. If I was a betting man, which I’m not, but if I was, I think I’d put my money on Spain to beat Argentina,” he said. “But then again, I thought England would be able to overcome Argentina. So we’ll see. It’ll be a good final. I think these games are unpredictable.”He singled out Spain’s work ethic on the pitch as the biggest difference between the finalists.“Rodri is a top player. And the difference with the Spanish side is that everyone will run. Everyone will do the work. In Argentina, Messi will not track to mark players. He will not win any headers. When you get him the ball, he is fantastic, maybe unbeatable. But against a Spanish team, where everyone will work very, very hard to get the ball down, I think it will be a good game with Spain.” they will win it,” he explained.