‘I Don’t Think I’ll Play Much More’: Lionel Messi Hints Retirement Ahead Of Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2022 Opener

It has been 36 years since Argentina last won the World Cup.

Lionel Messi is regarded as one of the greatest footballers ever in the history.

New Delhi: Lionel Messi is all set to taste victory in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022 with Argentina. It is expected to be Messi’s last World Cup and it was assured in interaction with CONMEBOL. He will be heading a side having the likes of Angel Di Maria, Lautaro Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, Paulo Dybala, Alejandro Gomez, Rodrigo De Paul, and Emi Martinez. 

The PSG superstar was in prolific form during Argentina's recent warm-up friendly against UAE. He scored a solid goal in the first half and helped his team win 5-0, at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

"I love football, I love playing it and I enjoy it, the only thing I’ve done all my life is play football, and I’m sure that whatever I do after will be related to it, although I don’t know what. I don’t think I’ll play much more", the 35-year-old said to CONMEBOL, hinting at a possible retirement.

"I don’t know, so many things happen… It was a dream that I always had as a child, of being able to play in Argentine football, that I would go to the pitch and I wanted to be there. But today it depends on many things, I have my family, three children, I just had a very big change in my life that was difficult for me and my whole family. Now I have gotten over it and we feel spectacular."

"Now I enjoy a city that seems beautiful to me. The first year was a big change and it took a long time. I was prevented from enjoying everything because it was a decision that came suddenly", he further added.

It has been 36 years since Argentina last won the World Cup. If 35-year-old Lionel Messi wants to recreate the team's golden age after Mario Kempes in 1978 and Diego Maradona in 1986, this might well be his last shot at glory.