Messi to finally get hands on the one trophy that has eluded him

CALL me an old romantic but I think the little man has got one last dance in him and that’s why I’m taking Argentina to be crowned world champions on December 18.

Lionel Messi is the man who’s done it all and won it all – except the World Cup.

But the way he is playing for his club and the way he inspires those around him when playing for his country, at the grand old age of 35 his time to lift the trophy has finally arrived.

Messi is playing as well as he has ever done in a really good Paris St-Germain team. He’s scored seven league goals, four in the Champions League, and had 14 assists in those two competitions.

He’s the heartbeat of PSG and Argentina who have arrived in Qatar in outstanding form.

I rate Spain but I prefer Argentina with Serbia a dark horse to take seriously.

Lionel Scaloni has got a tune out of this Argentinian group who qualified unbeaten – which is a feat in itself in South America – and won last year’s Copa America. That was their first trophy in 28 years and they have been on this extraordinary unbeaten run with Messi at the forefront.

And he only ever seems to turn it on. In three friendlies for his country over the summer, when most players take it easy, he scored nine goals.

We could also get one last hurrah out of Angel Di Maria, Nicolas Otamendi is not as rash these days as he was at Manchester City, while Lautaro Martinez is the ideal man to have alongside Messi – the two of them are capable of shining as a duo.

And the other Martinez – Aston Villa keeper Emiliano – also deserves a mention because for once Argentina go into a finals with safe hands in goal.

I think there are question marks over a few of the top sides. France are missing one or two key men, Belgium and England look overrated, and Germany will struggle to lift the trophy. The way I see the draw, Argentina win their group, see off Denmark and the Netherlands to reach the semis and then they are in their element– even if it is Brazil they are up against. They would

revel in that contest, especially Messi.

From the other half of the draw I like Serbia, who are a decent price because they aren’t seen as certain qualifiers ahead of Switzerland in Group G.

Yet this could be one tournament too many for the Swiss, but not the Serbs, who showed their big-match pedigree by winning in Portugal to qualify for the finalsfin by right.

Serbia have two top-class, bi ig-league goalscorers in Al leksander Mitrovic and Du usan Vlahovic and players su uch as Dusan Tadic, Filip Ko ostic and Lazio’s star turn Se ergej Milinkovic-Savic will giv ve them quality service.

If the Serbs finish as ru unners-up in Group G, it lo ooks like they’ll be playing Po ortugal – again – and then a fa ading Belgium side. They w ould have nothing to fear fro om either of those.

A semi-final against France w ould be a different pr roposition but if we’re talking ab bout potentially making the la st four then they’ve got to be a valuev each-way proposition at t 100-1.

Mitrovic becomes a big ru unner at a big price in the top sc corer betting if the Serbs do gog along way while Messi has tot be included.

My other big-priced fancy is Darwin Nunez, who I really lik ke as a frontman and fancy to ge et his share of goals in the group gr stage for Uruguay.