According to Javier Zanetti, Lionel Messi's World Cup victory is insufficient for him to surpass Diego Maradona as Argentina's best player.

On Sunday, following a dramatic match against France at Lusail Stadium, Messi won the World Cup for the first time.

Before completing his penalty in the shootout, which Argentina won 4-2, the 35-year-old scored twice in a dramatic 3-3 tie.

Argentina's third World Cup was particularly poignant because it was the country's first since the passing of Diego Maradona, who is famous for leading his country to victory in the 1986 competition. Maradona passed away in November 2020.

While Messi's performances in Qatar have cemented his place as the best player in history in the eyes of many, Zanetti feels he is still yet to outdo Maradona as Argentina's greatest of all time.

Zanetti told Stats Perform: "No, not for me. I don't like [the] comparison.

"We have to be grateful that the two greatest [players] in history are Argentines.

"I don't think [Messi] has changed. I think he is more mature now and he was able to transmit his leadership to the rest of the group this time."

Back in Buenos Aires and Messi's hometown of Rosario 🇦🇷🎆#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/Ad9zKvDVJk

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 19, 2022

France twice brought Argentina back, first forcing them to give up a 2-0 lead when Kylian Mbappe scored twice, and then in extra time after Messi had given Lionel Scaloni's team the lead once more.

The biggest gap between nations winning World Cups is 36 years, and Argentina's 36-year wait to do so is the longest of any country. Zanetti thinks the dramatic circumstances of their victory made the victory even sweeter.

"It's a great emotion that the lads gave us because we have been waiting for it for a long time," Zanetti added.

"I think they made it happen, the dream of millions of Argentinian fans around the world.

"It was a great final for us Argentines because it seemed it was all going in our way but then France had a great reaction."

Andres Iniesta, Messi's former team-mate at Barcelona, was delighted the now Paris Saint-Germain forward finally got to lift the World Cup.

"Yesterday's final was something spectacular, and that he [Messi] had the opportunity now to lift the World Cup is inexplicable," Iniesta told reporters while visiting Barcelona's training ground.

"Leo has done everything possible to achieve it. He has had a spectacular World Cup and the icing on the cake was incredible.

"I'm sure he feels maximum happiness."