Lionel Messi has revealed he has no plans to retire from international football with Argentina after this weekend’s Copa America 2024 final.
Lionel Messi helped Argentina reach another major tournament Final when he scored the 2nd goal in the semi-final against Canada. It will be the seventh senior major international final of his career, having won each of his last two in 2021 and 2022.
But while the world speculates whether Cristiano Ronaldo, 39, will continue to play for Portugal after the UEFA Euro 2024 exit.
“As I said before, I intend to continue,” said Messi. “I intend to live day by day without thinking about what’s coming in the future or if I’m going to continue or not. It’s something I just live every day. I’m 37 years old and only God knows when it’s going to end. ” ”
Lionel Messi’s journey with Argentina has been a rollercoaster of emotions. He won Olympic gold in 2008 but faced numerous heartbreaks with the senior team. At 20, he was part of the squad that lost the 2007 Copa America final to Brazil. The 2014 World Cup final ended in defeat against Germany, followed by back-to-back Copa America final losses to Chile in 2015 and 2016.
After a disappointing FIFA World Cup in 2018, where Argentina was eliminated in the first knockout round, doubts grew over Messi’s ability to secure a major international trophy. However, that situation changed in 2021 when Argentina won the Copa America, with Angel Di Maria scoring the decisive goal in the final vs Brazil. A year later, Lionel Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, earning the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
Argentina will face Colombia in the Copa final. Whatever happens, this will be Di Maria’s last game in the famous blue and white stripes – the 36-year-old winger has announced his intention to retire from the national team after 16 years and almost 150 caps.
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