Where would Argentina be if not for Messi? On a flight home from this World Cup - ESPN

ATLANTA — Where would Argentina be without Lionel Messi? On a flight back to Buenos Aires probably, with the FIFA World Cup trophy heading in a different direction to FIFA's New York headquarters at Trump Tower, waiting to be handed to a new owner on July 19.

But the most desired trophy in football is still in Argentina's possession thanks to the greatest player who ever lived.

The debate over football's GOAT will never be settled conclusively in one player's favor — Pelé, Diego Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo all have their die-hard supporters — but this World Cup really is proving once and for all that Messi has no equal.

Still skeptical? Just ask Egypt, or even the Cape Verde players who took Argentina to the limit in their 3-2 round-of-32 defeat in Miami last Friday.

Egypt thought they had secured a historic victory. Inspired by Mohamed Salah, Hossam Hassan's team was 2-0 ahead with little more than 10 minutes to go and on the brink of eliminating the defending champions.

But then Messi stepped forward. The 39-year-old had missed a first-half penalty and been quiet throughout the game, but just when his team needed him, he found the extra gear that only he has to create a goal for Cristian Romero before leveling the scores five minutes later with his eighth goal of this World Cup.

He left it late, but Messi came to Argentina's rescue. Again.

The Inter Miami forward has now scored in each of his past nine World Cup games — a record — and he stretched his lead as the all-time leading World Cup scorer with 21 goals, two more than France's Kylian Mbappé.

But as brilliant and untouchable as Messi is, how good are Argentina? Do they rely too much on Messi? Have they had an easy ride to reach the quarterfinals? And if not