Eight years ago, one of the defining images of the 2014 World Cup was the sight of Lionel Messi's eyes locking onto the trophy as he made his way up the Maracana stands in the immediate aftermath of the final defeat to Germany.As a diminutive number 10 blessed with otherwordly talent, the pressure to emulate Diego Maradona had long weighed on his shoulders and given that was followed by a disastrous 2018 tournament showing from Argentina, there was a sense that international football's most prized achievement would elude him.However, as the former Barcelona forward prepares for his last World Cup, the consensus is growing that Messi and the Albiceleste have the tools to reclaim the trophy for the first time since Maradona inspired them to glory in 1986.The Maracana, where Argentina's 2014 dream had fallen asunder, provided a major fillip last summer.
Argentina's 28-year quest for continental glory in the Copa America came to an end when they defeated hosts and bitter rivals Brazil with captain Messi lifting the first major international honour of his career.Buoyed by that triumph, Argentina go into the 2022 FIFA World Cup in excellent shape at the same time that Messi has returned to form in his second season at Paris Saint-Germain.It all bodes well for a tilt at the World Cup, although the question of whether Messi's legacy would be tainted by not winning it is another matter in an era when the Champions League is regarded as more of an arbiter of quality than international football.It's a subject, former Republic of Ireland cap Richie Sadlier pondered at the launch of RTÉ Sport's coverage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, when he will be among the panellists as 64 games will be broadcast live across RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and RTÉ