Nerves of steel! Argentina captain Lionel Messi reveals 2022 World Cup final preparations involving card game & late-night chat with wife Antonela Roccuzzo

The Argentina international saw pressure lumped onto his shoulders ahead of a showpiece event in Qatar, with Kylian Mbappe and France standing between him and an elusive global crown. Messi could have been forgiven for feeling a little anxious ahead of a crucial clash – having previously endured final heartache in 2014.

The all-time great has, however, learned to take everything in his stride – with there little that he has not experienced over the course of a record-breaking career. Rather than allow the sense of occasion to get to him, Messi enjoyed a relaxed evening with his team-mates before speaking with his family and getting a good night’s sleep.

Messi told ESPN Argentina of readying himself for a match that allowed a remarkable medal collection to be completed: “Just like every night. We always got together with the boys to talk, drink mate, play cards and that night was the same as always. Before going to sleep I spoke with Antonela, as we did every night, and went to sleep. We were very calm. Although we knew that we were going to play against a very tough opponent because of the players they had and because they had also had a spectacular World Cup. We had been very calm and confident. At that moment the group had passed many tests and was more than prepared to play in that final.”

As captain, Messi had to deliver a pre-match team talk. He did not, however, replicate his emotional speech from the 2021 Copa America final. He added on narrowing the focus of those around him: "The Copa America was a special moment because of how we arrived, because of everything we had experienced during those 40 days. A special moment in the world due to the pandemic. We had to be alone, isolated, go play on empty fields because we were playing without an audience. At the World Cup it was a talk like we always do, more thinking about the game and what could happen than emotionally or motivationally. It was something more about the game.”

Messi went on to score two goals in the 2022 World Cup final, while also converting his penalty in a shootout with France that saw Argentina prevail 4-2 on spot-kicks – sparking wild scenes of celebration in the Albiceleste camp.