Reaching three World Cup finals is one of the most difficult records to achieve in football. In fact, it is not only enough to achieve it, but also to dispute it. And in this last detail is where Lionel Messi now stands, who unless he suffers an injury that makes him unable to play on Sunday (Argentina fans canceling mufa), he will equal the Brazilian legend Cafú.

Messi and Marcos Evangelista de Moraes, Cafú's real name, share having played in three World Cup finals, but each holds the record with different nuances.

For example, the Argentine will play in his third final as a STARTER in the national team, while Cafú managed to play in the 1994 World Cup final thanks to Jorginho's injury in the 21st minute.

That is where Messi makes the record a more complicated feat, considering that his first start was in 2014, that is, 12 years ago. Not every footballer starts in a World Cup final and more than a decade later he is still in force and starting with his national team.

But Cafú's record contains another detail that is also very difficult to impose, since it is not only individual, but collective: playing three World Cup finals CONSECUTIVELY.

Read also: Spain-Argentina: from the canceled match to a World Cup final

Other legends who reached three World Cup finals, but did not play in all three

Whether due to injury or technical decision, there are four football legends, two Brazilians and two Germans, who reached three World Cup finals, but only played in two. These are:

Notably, Pelé was the only player to lift the World Cup in all three of his finals, something Lionel Messi could not achieve even if Argentina beats Spain, having lost the 2014 final.

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