Two geniuses, two completely different characters, yet so similar in their endeavour to defend the ultimate glory their professional lives had to offer. Messi could easily have walked away after the Qatar high. Not many would have questioned Maradona either if Argentina didn’t match the dizzying heights of 1986 four years on.
Lionel Messi says "the pain is immense" and that it "will take time to heal" after Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the World Cup final.
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