Lionel Messi has confirmed he will play his last World Cup game when Argentina takes on either France or Morocco in the final in Qatar.
Messi led Argentina to a 3-0 win over Croatia in their semifinal match on Tuesday, and he will earn his 172nd cap at the weekend when he tries to bring Argentina its first World Cup title since 1986.
“I feel very happy to be able to achieve this and finish my World Cup journey by playing my last game in a final,” Messi told Argentinian sports outlet Diario Deportivo Ole.
“It’s been many years since the last one, and I don’t think I’ll be able to do it.” “And to finish like this, it’s the best,” the Argentina captain said.
The 35-year-old is competing in his fifth World Cup, passing four former Argentine stars, including Diego Maradona and Javier Mascherano.
With his fifth goal in Qatar, he also surpassed Gabriel Batistuta as the top Albiceleste scorer at a World Cup, netting 11 times.
