[BRAZIL 2014] Lionel Messi will never rise to the level of popularity where Diego Maradona sits among Argentines, but at least he might escape from the shadow of El Pelusa if Argentina beats Germany in Sunday’s World Cup final. Messi does notneed to score — after all, Maradona did not score when Argentina beat Germany, 3-2, in the 1986 World Cup final — but he does need to step up his game after a disappointing semifinal against theNetherlands.

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