- 33 minutes ago
Lionel Messi: I am NOT retiring!
Carlo Garganese
- 18 Dec 2022 21:00 GMT
- 3 min read
Lionel Messi has described winning the World Cup as a dream come true and says that he will not be retiring from the Argentina national team.
Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory on Sunday after a thrilling final against France.
Argentina emerged victorious 4-2 on penalties after an epic 3-3 draw after extra time, a match that is already being described as the greatest World Cup final of all time.
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Unsurprisingly, Messi played a major role in the victory.
He opened the scoring with a penalty and then played a key part in the build-up to Angel Di Maria’s second.
After Kylian Mbappe struck twice late on to force extra time, Messi scored his second of the game to make it 3-2. But Mbappe forced penalties with his hattrick goal.
In the shootout Messi dispatched his spot-kick and Argentina ended up victorious.
Many believed that Messi winning the World Cup at the age of 35 - the only remaining major trophy he had yet to win in his career - would see him retire from international football.
But that won’t be happening.
What did Messi say?
"No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team," Messi told TyC Sports. "I want to continue playing as a champion.
"It's crazy that it happened this way. I wanted it very much.
“I knew that God was going to give it to me, I had a feeling that it was going to be this way. Now to enjoy. Look at this cup, it's beautiful. We suffered a lot but we made it.
“We can't wait to be in Argentina and to see how crazy it's going to be. This was the trophy I have wanted all of my life. This was my dream since childhood."
Messi scored seven goals and assisted three during Argentina’ World Cup run.
He was named Player of the Tournament and was only one goal shy of Mbappe as top scorer.
