Argentina national football team captain Lionel Messi has confirmed that the Qatar World Cup will be his final World Cup.
“Is it my last World Cup? Yes, surely yes, surely yes,” Messi told Star+, Latin American sports streaming service. “I am counting down the days until the World Cup. There is anxiety and nerves at the same time. Wanting it to be now, what is going to happen, and ultimately, how is it going to go?” he added.
With his career’s fifth and the last World Cup, Messi will break the previous record for an Argentina player which he jointly held with the late footballer Diego Maradona and Javier Mascherano.
Argentina will face Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland in Group C at the World Cup, which starts on 20 November. The country ranks third in the Fifa world rankings.
Talking with a good spirit, Messi said, “In a World Cup, anything can happen. All the football matches are very tough. The favorites don’t always end up winning”.
As Argentina has become one of the favorites to lift the World Cup in Qatar, Messi said, “I don’t know if we’re the favorites, but Argentina is always a candidate because of its history. Now even more so because of the moment we’re in, but we are not the favorites. I think there are other teams that are above us.”
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will have 32 countries competing for the Cup.
The 35-year-old star footballer and a forward for Paris St. Germain has represented Argentina at four World Cups, making 19 games and tallying six goals and five assists.
After leading his nation to the Copa America triumph in 2021 and receiving a runners-up gold in 2014, Messi’s impressive trophy case is only lacking the World Cup.
Messi made his debut for Argentina in 2005 and has since made 164 appearances while scoring 90 goals.
