Messi's legacy won't be damaged if he doesn't win World Cup, says Guedioura

Lionel Messi doesn't need to win a World Cup to cement his legacy, Adlene Guedioura tells Stats Perform.

A seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, Messi picked up eight league titles and four Champions League trophies during a distinguished club career.

But international success with Argentina has largely eluded Messi, despite winning the Copa America last year after finishing third three times previously.

Messi came close to winning the World Cup in 2014, but the Albiceleste suffered one last heartbreak when Mario Gotze scored a winning goal in extra time.

The 35-year-old's failure to win international football's top prize has been cited by some as damaging his legacy over Pele and his compatriot Diego Maradona.

The ongoing tournament in Qatar could represent Messi's last chance to win the World Cup, with his Argentina side set to face the Netherlands in the quarter-finals on Friday.

Guedioura believes that even if Argentina fail in their quest to win a third World Cup in Qatar, Messi's legacy will not be tainted.

When asked if he thinks the potential gap in Messi's trophy cabinet will impact how he will be remembered, the former Algerian midfielder told Stats Perform: "Not at all. We've enjoyed it for so long with [Cristiano] Ronaldo.

"I think, of course, that a title with Argentina will put him on top of everything. But to see him in Barcelona and with Paris Saint-Germain is something special."

Argentina entered the tournament on a 36-game unbeaten streak, but that streak came to a stunning end when they were beaten 2-1 by Saudi Arabia in their first leg match. opening of the World Cup.

The Albiceleste stabilized the ship, however, finishing top of Group C and beating Australia in the Round of 16 to set up the meeting with the Netherlands.

Despite Argentina's improvement, Guedioura pointed to rivals Brazil as the team most likely to bring the trophy back to South America, explaining: "Argentina got off to a bad start with the Saudi Arabia.

"Maybe it was a small accident or a small warning for them. But compared to Brazil, I think Brazil is stronger than Argentina."

Guedioura played for Algeria in the 2010 World Cup, and although his country failed to qualify this year, fellow Africans Senegal and Morocco made it to the round of 16 finals, the latter having to face Portugal in the quarter-finals.

The Al-Duhail midfielder believes African nations come together at tournaments in a way that is not replicated in other parts of the world. "It may be a difference when you have England or Scotland," he observed.

"When Scotland don't qualify, it's like they don't want England to succeed. For us, I don't think it's like that. Any team that succeeds, any Africa supports her because she is truly the hope of the country and the continent."