Messi led Argentina to a 3-0 semi-final win over Croatia on Tuesday and will earn his 172nd cap this weekend as he attempts to bring the country its first World Cup title since 1986.
Messi gives an update on his retirement, telling Argentina’s World Cup final will be his “last game.”
Argentina’s star footballer Lionel Messi has confirmed that he will play his final World Cup game. His final gmae will be to face France or Morocco in the final on Sunday in Qatar.
Messi led Argentina to a 3-0 semi-final win over Croatia on Tuesday. While he earned his 172nd cap this weekend as he attempts to bring Argentina its first World Cup title since 1986.
Messi told, “I feel very happy to be able to achieve this, to finish my World Cup journey by playing my last game in a final.”
“”The next one is many years away, and I doubt I’ll be able to do it. And to finish like this, it’s the best,” he added.
The 35-year-old is in his fifth World Cup, one more than Diego Maradona and Javier Mascherano.
Lionel Messi also broke Gabriel Batistuta’s record to become Argentina’s all-time leading goal scorer in FIFA World Cup history. Messi’s 11th goal of the season.
Argentina’s captain scored a penalty kick in the 34th minute. That goal gave the team a 1-0 lead over Croatia in the first semi-final match at Lusail Stadium.
With 11 goals, Messi has tied Hungarian legend Sandor Kocsis and German goal-machine Jurgen Klinsmann.
Only Pele (12), Just Fontaine (13), Gerd Muller (14), Ronaldo (15) of Brazil, and Miroslav Klose (16) of Germany have scored more goals in the FIFA World Cup than Messi.
This was also his 25th World Cup match, the most for any Argentine player, second only to Lothar Matthaus.
“It’s all well and good (the records), but what matters is being able to achieve the group goal, which is the most beautiful thing of all,” Messi added.
“We’re only one step away after a long fight, and we’re going to do everything we can to make it happen this time.”
Following the victory on Tuesday, thousands of fans took to the streets of Arge…
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