Qatar World Cup will be my last, confirms Argentina's Lionel Messi

In a conversation with journalist Sebastian Vignolo, Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi on Thursday said that the 2022 Qatar World Cup will be his last. 

“This will be my last World Cup — for sure. The decision has been made,” Messi said in the conversation. 

The 35-year-old plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team.

“I’m counting down the days until the World Cup. “The truth is, there’s a little anxiety, saying: ‘Well, we’re here, what’s going to happen? It’s my last one, how’s it going to go?’. On one hand, I can’t wait for it to arrive but I’m also desperate for it to go well,” he added.

Regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Messi has won a record seven Ballon d'Or awards, a record six European Golden Shoes, and in 2020 was named to the Ballon d'Or Dream Team. Until 2021, he had spent his entire professional career with Barcelona club, where he won a club-record 35 trophies, including ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues. 

The World Cup trophy is the only one that has truly eluded him throughout his career and winning it would only enhance his legacy as arguably the greatest player of all-time.

He has scored six goals in 19 matches at the FIFA World Cup, spanning four editions -- 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018.

One of the most successful national football teams in the world, Argentina won two World Cups in 1978 and 1986, and has been runners up three times: in 1930, 1990 and 2014.