Lionel Messi has confirmed that he will play his final World Cup match on Sunday. Then the 35-year-old star will compete with Argentina against France or Morocco for the world title. “I want to end my journey through five world championships there,” he told Argentine reporters after the semi-final victory over Croatia (3-0). “My last World Cup will be the final.”
Messi was not a world champion with Argentina. Sometimes he said goodbye to the national team, but later returned from it. He will celebrate his 39th birthday in four years during the upcoming World Cups in the United States, Mexico and Canada. “I don’t think I can still be there,” he said. “It’s better if I finish here in the final. I’m happy with that.”
Messi is working on his fifth World Cup and perhaps his best. He has already scored five times and set up three goals. His dribbling on the way to Julian Alvarez’s 3-0 victory against Croatia was perhaps the most beautiful act of preparation for the World Finals in Qatar.
Messi shares the top scorer in the World Cup with French Kylian Mbappe, with five goals. With eleven goals, he can now call himself the all-time top scorer for Argentina at World Cup finals. He will play his 26th ever World Cup finals match on Sunday. This is also a record. Lothar Matthaus has played 25 World Cup caps for Germany.
