New Delhi, July 22 -- Sourav Ganguly has defended Lionel Messi after Argentina's World Cup final loss. The former India captain insists Messi's legacy remains untouchable regardless.

Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time at the New York New Jersey Stadium on 20 July. Messi struggled for influence as Spain restricted Argentina's creativity throughout. Some critics questioned the 39-year-old's impact on football's biggest stage.

Ganguly urged perspective when judging Messi's remarkable international career. According to Dada, no player performs identically in every single match. Judging an entire career on one final seems fundamentally unfair, he argued.

"We must always remember that he is a human being, and no one performs at the same ...