Signing you in

When he starts the final at the MetLife Stadium, Messi will touch another World Cup record, becoming only the second man after Brazil’s Cafu to appear in three tournament finals.

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Is there room for a greater accomplishment? Will a World Cup double elevate the otherworldly status he already possesses in the game?

Not quite, believes Messi, as he responded to a reporter who likened the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s career to a seamless video game.

• “Your career is like a video game, you keep unlocking new levels until you reach the final.”

Leo Messi: “I already completed the game at the last World Cup..” pic.twitter.com/5PH8Xcuhho

“I already completed the game at the last World Cup. The game is already over” Messi jokingly claimed on the sidelines of a World Cup final pre-match event on Friday.

“We grew up playing football with a lot of passion, always eager to play, have fun and enjoy ourselves, wherever we were. Whether it was at school, on the street or on a team, since we all started in a neighborhood team when we were little ,” Messi was quoted as saying by TyC Sports.

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Messi, who leads the Golden Ball race ahead of the final, will spearhead Argentina’s bid to become the first team in 64 years to defend the title after Brazil in 1962. The FC Barcelona legend last squared off against Spain 16 years ago, powering Argentina to a 4-1 win.