Zanetti: Messi is on a par with Maradona

 will face

 in their sixth 

final at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday.

Lionel Messi became Argentina leading World Cup goal scorer in Qatar and is set to break the record for the most appearances at the World Cup in the final.

Ahead of the game, Javier Zanetti said Messi is on par with Diego Maradona.

"Messi is a great player, I think he's on a par with Diego,"

he told reporters in Doha on Thursday.

"I think a lot of people want Messi to win because of what he represents in the world and because of the way he interprets football.

"Leo deserves it and the boys are making a great effort to get to that moment. He is the strongest player in the world and he makes a difference on the field.

"

Zanetti also said France is a very complete team and he is worried about facing them.

"I hope that Argentina can bring the World Cup to our country.

"I'm worried about [Kylian] Mbappe, [Antoine] Griezmann, [Olivier] Giroud, if [Adrien] Rabiot plays he is a quality player, and they have a great goalkeeper.

"It's a group that has been working for a long time with this coach. It's a very complete team, very organised. But it's a final and anything can happen."

Former Argentina international Diego Milito also has praised Lionel Messi's performances in Qatar and said both teams deserve to be in the final.

"We know him, we know what he is capable of, that he is the best player in the world,"

Milito said of Messi.

"He is having an extraordinary World Cup and he deserves it.

"The best two teams reached the final. It's a very difficult match but we are confident in the team.

"We are happy to be able to be in the final. Hopefully this Sunday will be a good final and we can achieve what we have been looking forward to for a long time.

"This team has given much joy to the people, they have come on a path from the [2021] Copa America, and must be very happy and excited."

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