Lionel Messi has officially announced that his last World Cup appearance will occur in the upcoming final on Sunday, where Argentina will face either France or Morocco in Qatar. Messi led Argentina to a convincing 3-0 victory over Croatia in the semi-final, and his participation in the final will mark his 172nd cap for the national team as he endeavors to secure Argentina’s first World Cup title since 1986.
Expressing his joy, Messi shared with the Argentine media outlet Diario Deportivo Ole, saying, “I feel very happy to be able to achieve this, to conclude my World Cup journey by playing my final match. It will be many years until the next one, and I don’t think I’ll be able to do it. To end like this is the best,” stated the Argentina captain.
At 35 years old, Messi is participating in his fifth World Cup, surpassing the four appearances of legendary figures like Diego Maradona and Javier Mascherano. Moreover, he claimed the title of top scorer for the Albiceleste at World Cups, surpassing Gabriel Batistuta, with a total of 11 goals, thanks to his fifth goal in the current tournament.
While acknowledging these records, Messi emphasized the significance of achieving the team’s ultimate goal, saying, “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. We’re just one step away, after fighting hard, and we’re going to give everything to try to make it happen this time.”
Argentina’s triumph on Tuesday ignited celebrations across the nation, with thousands of fans taking to the streets to commemorate their national team’s sixth World Cup final appearance.
In the other semi-final match, France is set to face Morocco later on Wednesday.
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