What country did Lionel Messi lead to their first World Cup victory in 36 years?

Lionel Messi led Argentina to their first World Cup victory in 36 years at the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar. Argentina had previously won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986, with the 1986 victory famously led by Diego Maradona. The 36-year gap between 1986 and 2022 was a long and often painful wait for Argentine fans, who had seen their national team come close on several occasions, including a runner-up finish in 2014 when they lost to Germany in the final. The 2022 tournament in Qatar was widely considered one of the greatest World Cups in history, largely due to the dramatic nature of Argentina's campaign. Messi, who was 35 years old at the time and widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers to ever play the game, delivered a performance for the ages throughout the tournament. He scored seven goals and provided three assists, winning the Golden Ball award for the best player of the tournament. His performances silenced those who had long criticized him for not winning a World Cup with Argentina, a trophy that had eluded him throughout his career despite his extraordinary success at the club level with Barcelona and later Paris Saint-Germain. The final itself against France was perhaps the most dramatic World Cup final ever played. Argentina appeared to be cruising to victory, leading 2-0 with just over ten minutes remaining in regulation time, with Messi having scored one of those goals. However, France substitute Kylian Mbappe scored twice in quick succession to level the match at 2-2 and force extra time. During extra time, Messi scored again to put Argentina ahead, but Mbappe completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot to make it 3-3 and send the match to a penalty shootout. Argentina ultimately won the shootout, with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez playing a crucial role in saving two French penalties. Mbappe finished the tournament with eight goals, winning the Golden Boot, but it was Messi and Argentina who lifted the trophy. For Messi personally, the victory represented the completion of his legacy. Throughout his career, he had won virtually every honor available at the club level, including multiple UEFA Champions League titles and numerous domestic league championships, along with a record number of Ballon d'Or awards. However, the World Cup was the one major trophy missing from his collection, and many critics had used this absence to argue that he could not be considered the greatest player of all time. By winning in Qatar, Messi put those arguments largely to rest and cemented his place in football history alongside Maradona and other legends of the game. The victory was celebrated with enormous passion throughout Argentina, with millions of fans taking to the streets in Buenos Aires and cities across the country to celebrate what was a deeply emotional and long-awaited triumph for the nation.