Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has been sensational for his national side in the ongoing World Cup in Qatar. He has already plundered five goals and is tied alongside Kylian Mbappé of France as the joint-highest goal-scorer.

He would be in line to break it when the two sides collide in the final at the Lusial Iconic Stadium on Sunday.

Messi also became La Albiceleste’s highest goal-scorer in the tournament, going past Gabriel Batistuta’s record when he scored his 11th goal after scoring a penalty against Croatia in their 3-0 semi-final win, in five editions. Batistuta netted ten between 1994-2002.

Batistuta said he was happy to see Lionel Messi overtake him as the country’s top scorer.

“(Messi breaking the record) didn’t hurt me at all because I enjoyed it while I had it,” Batistuta, 53, said in an interview with Argentine newspaper Clarin published on Friday.

“Leo deserves this. If there’s one person who has to be up there, it’s him.

“Messi is not an alien, he is a human being who plays better football than anyone else. When that person exceeds you, you can’t suffer, he just gives you pleasure.”

Batistuta, who scored 10 goals in three World Cup editions between 1994 and 2002, added that Messi has exceeded his expectations at the tournament in Qatar with his five goals, three assists and brilliant all-round play.

“I expected him to be much calmer, but he is playing like a 20-year-old,” he said. “And that’s because he’s hungry, he’s here to win the Cup. That’s what football needs, that’s what Leo is spreading to the whole team.”

The former striker is confident that Lionel Scaloni’s team can beat the defending champions.

“Argentina have all the conditions to take the title,” he said. “There’s something in the atmosphere, a positive energy, for this to happen.”

While Messi seeks to top off his illustrious career with the one major championship that has escaped him, France are attempting to become the first side to win back-to-back Cups since Brazil in 1962.