Lionel Messi Clarifies He Won’t Retire from International Soccer Following World Cup Title Win

Lionel Messi isn’t finished on the international soccer stage just yet.

Speaking to TyC Sports after Argentina’s World Cup title win on Sunday, the 35-year-old soccer star explained, “I won the Copa America and the World Cup in a short time. I love what I do, being in the national team, and I want to continue living a few more games being world champion.”

That statement comes as something of a reversal from what the superstar previously said of possibly winding down his international career. According to The Athletic, Messi said this would be his final time in the World Cup tournament after the semi-final victory over Croatia, leading to speculation he would retire from Argentina. “It’s my last World Cup,” he said earlier this month.

Sunday’s victory brought Messi his long-sought first World Cup title, which he told TyC Sports was “a childhood dream.”

“I was lucky to have achieved everything in this career … and this one that was missing is here,” he told the outlet. “It’s madness.”

Messi was in awe of the “gorgeous” World Cup after the win. “I wanted her [the World Cup] so much. I had a vision that this would be the one. I wanted to close my career with this. I can no longer ask for anything else. Thank God, he gave me everything,” he added.

According to ESPN, Messi broke the record for most World Cup appearances with his 26th on Sunday.

In a thrilling match that went to extra time and then a shootout between Argentina and the former reigning champion France, Lionel Messi scored two goals to help secure the win for Argentina.

The final score was 3-3 decided in a shootout, which ended 4-2.

While it is Messi’s first World Cup win, the weekend victory was Argentina’s third. They previously won the FIFA tournament in 1978 and 1986. Before that, Argentina had been runners-up thrice, in 1930, 1990, and 2014.

The Argentine soccer star received a big hug from two of his sons on the field after the win. He shares three sons, Mateo, Thiago and Ciro with his wife Antonella Roccuzzo.

The sweet moment was captured on camera, with Messi on his knees enthusiastically embracing his sons with a big smile. The boys wrapped their arms around him while wearing purple jerseys with their father’s name and number (10) on the back.

Ahead of the game, Messi’s son Thiago wrote down the lyrics to the song “Muchachos Ahora Nos Volvimos a Ilusionar” to show support for his father, which his mother Antonella shared on her Instagram Story, according to The Indian Express and Daily Mail.

[via]