After being the catalyst for Argentina’s victory in Qatar, Lionel Messi vowed to continue playing for his country so he can enjoy “a few more games being world champion.”
After Sunday’s thrilling final, in which Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick for France but still lost, the World Cup now belongs to Messi and Argentina.
Argentina won the World Cup for the third time, after winning it in 1978 and 1986, and Lionel Messi’s farewell performance on the grandest platform of them all concluded happily thanks to a 4-2 triumph on penalties following a 3-3 draw.
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The 35-year-old finished the competition with seven goals and three assists, becoming the first player to score in each round and the group stage. It was the trophy he had been working to win before the end of his career.
Although Mbappe won the Golden Boot with eight goals, he lost out to him for the Golden Ball title as the best player.
Lionel Messi spoke to TyC Sports: “Obviously I wanted to close my career with this, I can’t ask for anything any more. Thank God, he gave me everything. Closing almost my career like this, it’s impressive.”
Messi put in the work to ensure he was in top form for one more chance at the World Cup despite knowing his career is coming to an end. He showed how much he desired this moment by crying after the final whistle and kissed the trophy right afterwards.
With two goals in the championship, Messi surpassed all other South American players to score 26 goals in major international competitions, including 13 in the World Cup and the same number in the Copa America. With that, he surpassed the previous record-holder, Ronaldo of Brazil, by one goal.
“After this, what will there be? I was able to get the Copa America, World Cup… It came to me almost at the end,” Messi said
“I enjoy being in the national team, the group, I want to continue living a few more games being world champion.
“It’s every little kid’s dream, I was lucky to have achieved everything and what I was missing is here.”
