LEO'S LEGACY TARNISHED! Messi's petulant and shameful World Cup final moment show footballing legend's major flaw on biggest stage

View 2 Images

Argentina went down fighting. While Lionel Messi went out pouring a little shame and ridicule on his astonishing legacy.

There is a way to lose - and Messi is still not too old to learn it.

The footballing genius has lit up this World Cup, defying age and logic in equal measure. He threatened to win the Golden Boot. He inspired his team to back-to-back finals and he smashed the scoring record previously held by Miroslav Klose. In short, he did everything expected of him, apart from lifting the biggest prize in sport once again.

But what isn't expected of him is the kind of behaviour he showed to the watching world at the final whistle of what will go down as

one the most ill-tempered World Cup finals in history.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK!

Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook page

Messi has spent the past few weeks appearing to be above the law, when it comes to referees and officiating in general.

The aura he carries with him leaves officials intimidated at times. No-one wanted to be that referee who sent off the greatest footballer of all time, right? In short, Messi does what he wants.

In the immediate aftermath of Enzo Fernandez’s red card for a second yellow card for his foul on Pau Cubarsi, players surrounded the Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic. And Messi used his interaction with Marc Cucurella as a chance to even the scores.

Cucurella could be seen attempting to communicate with Messi with his hand over his mouth. It wasn't even a hand really, a couple of fingers. So Messi reported him to Vincic.

If this particular FIFA rule is absurd in the first place, then seeing someone of Messi's standing trying to use it to his advantage, is nothing short of shameful, embarrassing and humiliating.

In that one instance, Messi turned himself into a petulant child. You know the one, when he goes running to the teacher when another kid has stamped on his conker in the school playground.

His self-respect and dignity was diminished. Quite frankly, it was pitiful to witness.

Content cannot be displayed without consent

Messi has done astonishing things for football - and sport in general. But if this does prove to be his last World Cup, one of his final acts will be remembered with huge sadness.

He showed he was fallible. He showed he was vulnerable. He showed he was still human. And he also showed he cannot accept losing.