Lionel Messi's former Argentina team-mate Lucas Biglia backs Barcelona superstar to have his own Michael Jordan 'Last Dance' moment by winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

• e-mail

Lionel Messi can enjoy his own Michael Jordan 'Last Dance' moment by leading Argentina to glory at the 2022 World Cup, according to his former international team-mate Lucas Biglia.

The world has been hooked by the Netflix series on NBA legend Jordan's exploits under enormous pressure and expectation with the Chicago Bulls.

While Messi has won every conceivable club trophy with Barcelona and a host of individual accolades, including six Ballon d'Or awards, success with Argentina has eluded him.

Lionel Messi has repeatedly suffered heartache in major tournaments with Argentina

But his former international team-mate Lucas Biglia (right) believes Messi can still claim glory

Biglia would love to see a series on Messi similar to Michael Jordan and 'The Last Dance'

He has consistently suffered heartache at the World Cup, notably when losing to Germany in the 2014 final, and the Copa America, where he has lost three finals.

And as he approaches his 33rd birthday, Messi is fast running out of chances to right those wrongs on the international stage.

But AC Milan midfielder Biglia, who played 58 times for Argentina between 2011 and 2018, believes some of the Messi story remains unwritten.

He told FM94.7: 'I finished The Last Dance the other day, it was excellent.

'It got me thinking that in a few years, hopefully we will be able to watch something similar with our own phenomenon [Messi].

A youthful Messi reflects after losing his first Copa America final to Brazil back in 2007

Messi suffered heartache when Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final

The Barcelona star also fell short in the Copa America when Argentina lost to Chile in 2015

'[We could] learn a mountain of things about his day-to-day. Because you see him train, you see him play but so many things happen on a day-to-day basis that you don't know about, as we see in the series.

'The scene that I would like to see in the future is the one when Jordan is hugging the [NBA] trophy and crying. I would like to see that with Messi and the World Cup.

'That I would like to see. I know what it would mean for him and for the Argentine people.'

Messi's final chance to win the World Cup for Argentina is likely to be at the 2022 finals in Qatar, when he'll be 35.

But despite hoping Messi ends his career with the ultimate flourish like Jordan, Biglia insists there are huge differences between the two icons' personalities.

'He [Messi] always puts himself at your level,' Biglia said.

Messi looks on in dismay after Argentina lost on penalties to Chile in the 2016 Copa America

Messi and Argentina lost 4-3 to France in a World Cup last-16 thriller at Russia 2018

There was further disaster in 2019 when Argentina lost to rivals Brazil in the semi-finals

'Not just because of his humility, but to make you feel comfortable. He looks to build a relationship with his team-mates by relating to them.

'That's what makes him great. There are no words to describe him as a player. As a person, he is 10, 100 times better.'

Biglia also defended Messi against the criticism he continues to receive in his homeland following these multiple failures at tournaments. 

He added: 'The good memories are saved, of course, but the bad ones will always remain, too.

'Why does a person have to suffer so much? In the last World Cup, to see how the elimination hit him, that's when you ask yourself why? That stayed with me. Not just on the pitch, but off it.

'It hurts me to see him suffer so much and makes me ask myself why he has to suffer in that way. I pray to God that we can see him at the next World Cup in two years' time.'