Lionel Messi, the star footballer for Argentina, has declared that the Sunday final in Qatar against either France or Morocco will be his final World Cup game.
Messi led Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Croatia in their World Cup semifinal on Tuesday, and he will receive his 172nd cap this weekend as he attempts to lead his nation to its first World Cup victory since 1986.
Messi said to an Argentine media outlet Diario Deportivo Ole “I feel very happy to be able to achieve this, to finish my World Cup journey by playing my last game in a final,” Messi told Argentine media outlet Diario Deportivo Ole.
“It’s many years for the next one and I don’t think I’ll be able to do it. And to finish like this, it’s the best,” added the Argentina captain.
The 35-year-old is participating in his fifth World Cup, surpassing Javier Mascherano and Diego Maradona’s four.
In addition, Lionel Messi surpassed Gabriel Batistuta’s mark to become Argentina’s all-time leading scorer at the FIFA World Cup. The last goal was Messi’s eleventh.
In front of a large crowd at Qatar’s Lusail Stadium, the PSG forward put on a performance that many regarded as his best in recent times. This will be Messi’s final opportunity to win the World Cup before he hangs up his boots. He had lost to Germany in Brazil in 2014 and come in second place.
“It’s all well and good (the records), but the important thing is to be able to achieve the group objective, which is the most beautiful thing of all,” Messi added. “We’re just one step away, after fighting hard, and we’re going to give everything to try to make it happen this time.”
Following Tuesday’s victory, thousands of Argentineans took to the streets to commemorate the country’s sixth World Cup final appearance.