​The World Cup final hardly needs to be hyped up to attract interest, but even for a match of this magnitude there are a surprising number of storylines. From the race for the Ballon d’Or to the battle between the managers, the spectacle of the differing styles of play or the scarcely believable backstory between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, Sunday’s final is one that promises to live long in the memory. And as with any final on the world’s biggest stage, it will also define legacies and careers. For 39-year-old Lionel Messi, despite everything he’s achieved, this is a match that will be looked back on in every debate, every summary of his great career. It is the same for 19-year-old Lamine Yamal, no matter what he might go on to achieve. Indeed, it is the same for every player involved, from the Argentina stalwarts or Ballon d’Or winner Rodri to the various youngsters and the lesser-hailed members of both squads. Yamal is said to have been nursing an injury in the build-up to the final (Getty)Both Messi and Yamal are particularly pertinent though, and for reasons beyond their roles as each team’s most important player. Put simply, each player mirrors the very nature of his national team – as Argentina’s golden era comes to an end, another Spain golden generation might just be getting started. For Lionel Messi and co, Sunday’s match, whether win or lose, brings an end to a near-unprecedented period of success for the Albiceleste. Under Lionel Scaloni, they have won both the 2021 and 2024 editions of the Copa America, while the victory in the 2022 World Cup was originally thought to be the crowning glory of Messi’s career, and indeed many of the others on the pitch on that December evening in Lusail. That they could yet have a second World Cup to add to this recently bulging trophy cabinet speaks to the various qualities throughout the team, from Messi’s obvious brilliance to the tactical acumen of Scaloni and the blend of grit and desire throughout the squad. As shown throughout the competition – most recently in the dramatic 2-1 comeback over England – this is a team that does not know when it’s beaten, and has all the tools needed to beat any team in world football. However, they are not infallible, as they’ve proven in the games against Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland. Argentina will head into the game as slight underdogs, perhaps needing a final moment of genius from Messi or something else special from Julian Alvarez or Enzo Fernandez to earn them a fourth star. Moments of brilliance from Messi and Enzo Fernandez saved Argentina against England (Reuters)These previous struggles have shown that, despite making another final, this is a team on its last legs. It feels strange to say a team is on a downward trajectory, when they are about to contest a World Cup final, but it has happened before. Contrast France’s 2006 team to the debacle of 2010, for example. In Argentina’s case, the fall-off could be one of