Messi confirms triumphant 2022 World Cup was probably his last

By : AFP

Date: 13 June 2023 4:39pm WAT

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Lionel Messi

(FILES) In this file photo taken on July 23, 2022 Paris Saint-Germain's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi waves as he warms up during PSG's Japan Tour football match against Urawa Reds at the Saitama Stadium in Saitama. - Lionel Messi is "much more likely" to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season than sign a new deal, a source close to the club told AFP on April 4, 2023. Messi, who will turn 36 in June, joined in 2021 on a two-year deal which expires at the end of this campaign. (Photo by Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP)

(FILES) In this file photo taken on July 23, 2022 Paris Saint-Germain's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi waves as he warms up during PSG's Japan Tour football match against Urawa Reds at the Saitama Stadium in Saitama. - Lionel Messi is "much more likely" to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season than sign a new deal, a source close to the club told AFP on April 4, 2023. Messi, who will turn 36 in June, joined in 2021 on a two-year deal which expires at the end of this campaign. (Photo by Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP)

(FILES) In this file photo taken on July 23, 2022 Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi waves as he warms up during PSG’s Japan Tour football match against Urawa Reds at the Saitama Stadium in Saitama. – Lionel Messi is “much more likely” to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season than sign a new deal, a source close to the club told AFP on April 4, 2023. Messi, who will turn 36 in June, joined in 2021 on a two-year deal which expires at the end of this campaign. (Photo by Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP)

Lionel Messi on Tuesday confirmed he “doesn’t think” he will play at another World Cup in an interview with Chinese media after the 35-year-old led Argentina to victory at last year’s tournament in Qatar.

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“I have said several times before that I don’t think so, that that (2022) was my last World Cup,” he said when asked by China’s Titan Sports in a video interview if he might feature at the 2026 tournament in North America.

“I will see how things go but in theory I don’t think I will be around for the next World Cup,” he added in Spanish in the video published on the app Kuaishou.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is currently in Beijing where Argentina will play a friendly against Australia on Thursday.

His comments come after he said earlier this year to Argentinian newspaper Ole that it would be “very difficult” to play at another World Cup.

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He will turn 39 during the next tournament.

Messi last week announced he would join MLS side Inter Miami after his two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain came to an end.

Argentina will play Thursday’s friendly against Australia at the 68,000-capacity Workers’ Stadium in Beijing.

The match is a repeat of the last-16 tie between the teams at the World Cup in Doha, which Argentina won 2-1.

With Chinese fans desperate to see the former Barcelona star in action, tickets have been rapidly snapped up despite being sold at prices rising to 4,800 Yuan ($671).

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