Lionel Messi is winning the hearts of many Argentine fans thanks to his spirited performance in Qatar, but their preference for Diego Maradona may overtake them unless he clinches the FIFA World Cup title in his last attempt at the tournament.

The two diminutive superstars dazzled the world with their abundance of goals and surprisingly similar style of play, as they relied on extreme skill in dribbling defenders and keeping the ball glued to their feet.

But only Maradona, who died two years ago, won the biggest title.

Maradona led a low-level team in 1986 when his famous "Hand of God" goal against England became a symbol of the Argentine challenge after the shame of defeat in the Falkland War.

For years, Argentine fans have said that Messi cannot reach Maradona's status unless he wins the World Cup, no matter how many Ballon d'Ors and titles he collects.

Some questioned the reasons for the great discrepancy between the personalities of the two stars, as Messi is very shy and introverted, while Maradona was a source of entertainment with banter, songs and offensive expressions against power.

Some, especially from the older generations, questioned Messi being an authentic Argentine, as he moved to Spain at the age of 13, while Maradona was one of them, as he was born in a poor neighborhood and made his way in local clubs, including Boca Juniors.

mixed feelings

Of course, Messi surpassed Maradona in the number of goals and titles, and even exceeded the number of his international matches on the occasion of the Qatar World Cup, where he led Argentina to the round of 16.

He also maintained his physical and technical condition while Maradona took drugs in an unbridled lifestyle that frustrated and distressed even his fans.

And those close to Messi say that his desire to win the World Cup is great, even if this was not evident in the past because of his shyness.

This became clear when his tears fell after he led Argentina to win the 2021 Copa America, its first title in 28 years.

"I have always had a love-hate relationship between Argentines and Messi," said fan Gustavo Franchini, 44, in Buenos Aires.

He added, "We always compare him to Maradona, who won the World Cup 36 years ago, since then we have not won again... Everyone says that he must win the World Cup to reach Maradona's status, and many believe, like me, that even then he will not be in the same position as him." Until Maradona carried the team almost single-handedly in 1986.

In Qatar, in his fifth and final participation in the World Cup, Messi showed that he was the beating heart of the Argentine national team, and it seemed that Argentina had great chances of winning the title on December 18 next.

The crowds that filled stadiums to capacity in Qatar and cafes and bars in Argentina supported Messi throughout his tournament, celebrating his goals, cheering him on when he missed a penalty and proudly displaying his image on a myriad of flags and banners.

Emotional Messi

Messi was emotionally moved and encouraged the team and his country, after the shock loss to Saudi Arabia in the first match, and celebrated the goals with the fans with great enthusiasm and led celebratory chants on the field and in the dressing room after the wins over Mexico and Poland.

Fan Facundo Moreno, 39, said in the Argentine capital, "After the Copa America, he seems more relaxed, enjoying playing with the national team. For me, Messi has always done his best and with all his heart with the national team, from the first match until now. He is my role model. His personality is different." Just like Maradona, but on the pitch, it's no different."

Marcelo Sottili, a sports journalist and author of a book on Messi, said his gentlemanly personality reflected the ideal Argentines seek to emulate, while the rebellious Maradona reflected their true nature in greater measure.

He told Reuters that there is a time gap between those who remember and revere Maradona and younger fans who are less prejudiced against Messi.

He added, "My 18-year-old son never questioned Messi, he never said, 'You play well for Barcelona, ​​unlike Argentina'." Messi suffered criticism here in Argentina while he was a star revered in Barcelona.