After winning his first-ever World Cup trophy on Sunday, Lionel Messi made a clear statement regarding his future with the Argentina national team.
“No, I’m not gonna retire from the national team,” Messi said. “I want to keep playing as World Cup champions.”
In the past, Messi said this was going to be the final World Cup of his illustrious career, but he never said he’d be done representing his country in national competition.
Messi, 35, also won his first Copa America in 2021. With two of his biggest national accomplishments coming this late in his career, it stands to reason the star forward has plenty more to give Argentina.
The World Cup final against France came down to penalty kicks where Messi nailed the first before Gonzalo Montiel scored on his team’s fourth kick, clinching the win. Along with his penalty kick, Messi scored twice during the game to propel his team to the mountain top of the sport.