Lionel Messi Says he will continue to play for Argentina after the World Cup victory
After the game, Messi hugged his family and teammates, while Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni, winger Angel Di Maria, who scored Argentina's second goal, and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez could not hold back their tears.
Argentina's Lionel Messi promised on Sunday to continue playing for his country despite finally fulfilling his lifelong dream of winning the World Cup. "I want to keep experiencing a few more matches as world champion," Messi, 35, said after Argentina's thrilling penalty shootout victory against France in the World Cup final in Doha. However, Messi revealed that his career was almost over when Argentina's captain won the one major international trophy he lacked.
The Paris Saint-Germain front scored twice in the dramatic and chaotic final, which ended 3-3 after 120 thrilling minutes, before the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner netted his spot-kick in the shootout, which Argentina won 4-2.
"Obviously, I'd prefer to end my career with this; I can't ask for anything more," Messi remarked.
"My career is coming to an end because these are my final years."
And, despite so many disappointments on football's biggest stage, like losing the 2014 World Cup final to Germany in Brazil, Messi believes his moment will come.
"It's unbelievable that it happened at the time it did," he remarked.
"It's incredible that it could end like this." I earlier stated that God would grant me something, and I'm not sure why, but I believed it would be this time.
Turning his attention back to the game, Messi claimed it was difficult to explain after Argentina blew a two-goal lead late in the game for the second time in a week, following their quarterfinal triumph against the Netherlands.
Argentina led 2-0 at halftime and 3-2 in extra time, but a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick, with two late goals in regular time and another in extra time, pegged Argentina back and forced a penalty shootout.
"It was a crazy match, similar to the last one against the Netherlands, and then, when we went ahead in extra time, it happened again," Messi explained.
However, he acknowledged that the World Cup trophy is "wonderful."
Messi has appeared in 172 games for Argentina, scoring 98 goals since his debut in 2005.
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