Can Lionel Messi finally win an international title?

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil-Argentina games always throw up questions but one stands out ahead of this Saturday's Copa America final in Rio de Janeiro: Can Lionel Messi finally win an international title?

The Barcelona player has won every honour possible at club and individual level and is widely considered to be the best of the 21st century and a strong candidate, along with Pele and Diego Maradona, as the greatest of all time.

But he has never lifted any silverware with Argentina and the question for the 34-year-old is: If not now, when?

"Messi has two chances left," said Tostao, a World Cup winner with Brazil in 1970. "He has the Copa and the World Cup (in 2022) but the World Cup is difficult."

There is no clear favourite for Saturday's game at the Maracana stadium, although Brazil has a slightly better record over the last four weeks and it holds home advantage.

Messi, though, is in scintillating form and leads the tournament in goals and assists. Of Argentina's 11 goals, Messi has scored four and provided five assists.

"We are seeing an improved version of Messi," Antonio Mohamed, former Argentina player and now coach of Monterrey, wrote in Ole, an Argentine sports newspaper.

"Every time he touched the ball, three guys would be on top of him in the style of Maradona at his greatest." Agencies

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