Star Argentina player and captain Lionel Messi has now made it official that the final match of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar on Sunday (December 18) will be his last game .
The star player helped Argentina reach the final of the ongoing tournament by defeating Croatia in the first semifinal on Tuesday night (Wednesday IST).
Messi scored his team’s first goal against Croatia and provided assists in the other two goals scored by Julian Alvarez. The 35-year-old is the competition’s best goal scorer and assist provider this year
While speaking to Argentine media outlet Diario Deportivo Ole after Argentina’s win, the 35 year old Messi confirmed about his retirement plans and said that Sunday’s summit clash will be his last game.
“I feel very happy to be able to achieve this, to finish my World Cup journey by playing my last game in a final.”
“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,” Messi said.
Messi is playing his fifth World Cup.
“We’re just one step away, after fighting hard, and we’re going to give everything to try to make it happen this time,” he continued.
With his fifth goal in Qatar, he also surpassed Gabriel Batistuta as the Albiceleste’s leading World Cup scorer, with 11 goals.
This match will be Messi’s final chance to win the World Cup before retiring. He led Argentina to the final in the 2014 edition as well, but had to settle for a second-place finish after losing to Germany in Brazil.
In the final on Sunday (December 18), Argentina will face the winner of the second semifinal between France and Morocco.
