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Lionel Messi 90 minutes away from dethroning Diego Maradona as 'the greatest'

So, it all comes down to this. The 64th and last match of World Cup 2014 will see perennial finalists Germany take on Argentina in a repeat of the 1986 and 1990 finals.

Currently the score stands at one win apiece and there is little doubt that whomever lifts the trophy in the Estadio Maracana on Sunday does so in the knowledge that they have become champions at the finest World Cup finals the planet has ever seen.

From first day till last, the capacity to thrill has been the one constant throughout and the world awaits a final worthy of becoming the crowning glory of these championships.

You know what….we just might get it.

Lionel Messi and his side will step out on the hallowed turf in the unusual guise of underdogs. A simply majestic German destruction of the host nation has seen to that.

Yet with a front line of Higuain, Aguero, a fit-again Di Maria and Messi himself, such a tag is ill-fitting and almost comical.

Let’s not forget too that Germany’s defence has been routinely exposed already at this tournament. Ghana took full advantage in a 2-2 draw, whilst Algeria in particular and the USA to a lesser extent, acquitted themselves well against supposed vastly superior opponents.

The French too had enough chances to make the quarter final much more uncomfortable for Joachim Low’s men.

A group win against an under-par Portugal and the manner of the quarter-final rout against the Brazilian’s has clouded judgments just a little. No one doubts the quality throughout the German side but there are most certainly some weaknesses to be exploited.

Argentina, and indeed Messi himself, have been businesslike in their approach to each game. Only doing what’s necessary to advance to the next stage. Not pretty at times, but functional and effective.

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Remember, Spain’s own path to glory four years ago ended with four straight 1-0 victories, and nobody dares question La Roja’s Golden Generation for being boring.

Now Messi and Argentina find themselves on the biggest stage of all. Something that many so-called experts pre-tournament would have you believe was impossible.

La Albiceleste had “one of the worst defences at the tournament” they said. “Messi won’t win it on his own” screamed the headlines.

After the attritional semi-final victory over a previously rampant Holland, those same experts might well be eating some tasty humble pie.

With the semi-finals now done and dusted, the pressure on Messi to deliver world football’s biggest prize to his country for the first time in 28 years will be colossal and immeasurable.

It seems utterly rididulous that the debate will continue to rage as to his standing in the history of the game until he wins a World Cup. But the plain fact of the matter is that he is still in the shadow of Diego Maradona until he does so.

Five goals and five assists meant that Maradona was directly involved in 10 of the 15 goals scored by Argentina at the 1986 championships, whilst he also created 27 other chances despite being a marked man all tournament.

Of course he is remembered for quite possibly the best goal we will ever see at a World Cup finals, and also the most controversial, scored only four minutes apart against England.

Even set against the backdrop of playing alongside an “average” team, Messi will be expected to lead them to their third triumph and in so doing, it may well count as La Pulga’s finest hour.

He’s certainly ready to take over the mantle, recently telling FourFourTwo magazine:

“It’s no bad thing to be compared to Diego, but it’s not a motivation for me to win the World Cup. I want to win the World Cup because it would be brilliant for everyone in Argentina and for our team. I just hope we can achieve that.”

To win the trophy in your fiercest rivals backyard might finally stop the Argentine public from constantly sniping at Messi for not producing performances for his country that he routinely exhibits at club level.

One World Cup goal in two tournaments prior to this one had been enough for Messi to be constantly vilified.

Yet, even if a ruthless German machine finally put paid to Messi’s dream at the final hurdle, his contribution in getting Argentina to the final cannot be overlooked.

Aside from his four goals, he remains way ahead of everyone else on chances created, most dribbles and most key passes in the tournament.

Go back further and take some time to see just how much of Argentina’s early qualification for the World Cup was down to their captain.

He is above reproach and by Sunday night he could be above Maradona, as the greatest ever. Can Argentina’s star man truly become the architect behind the third star?

Cometh the hour…

*Jason Pettigrove is a freelance FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and La Liga correspondent for @YahooSportsME as well as a number of other print/digital media. Follow him @jasonpettigrove