The World Cup final on Sunday will be the last game in Lionel Messi's historic career, the Argentine football superstar declared.
Having one last shot at adding the tournament to his football career, which spans three decades, the iconic athlete seeks to go out with a bang and seal his legacy by winning football's most coveted prize.
Messi Can Still Deliver
The 35-year-old athlete remarked that competing in a championship game is the finest way to retire and that he doesn't believe he will be able to compete in the 2026 World Cup, as reported by the Daily Mail. Lionel Messi remarked success brought him "a lot of happiness" and he described his experience at this year's World Cup as "very exciting."
When he was asked by sports journalists to clarify if this year would be his last World Cup, Messi said: "Surely yes." He also does not think he can participate in the next tournament four years from now. What matters most to him now is to accomplish Argentina's ultimate goal to win the World Cup Final.
Lionel Messi remarked that his team is determined to do all in its power to win the final after a long struggle in the 2022 World Cup. With Tuesday's 3-0 semifinal win against an exhausted Croatia, Lionel Messi's longtime ambition of leading Argentina to the World Cup title until the final day of Qatar 2022 remained intact.
Messi's penalty and Julian Alvarez's solo effort in the first half gave Argentina a comfortable lead they would not relinquish at halftime; Croatia never threatened to come back, CNN reported.
With Argentina's third goal of the second half, scored by Alvarez off a superb service from Messi, the South American squad and its 35-year-old captain had a chance to atone for their loss in 2014 final and clinch the World Cup. Cup for the first time since 1986.
Messi played with some strain in his left hamstring, but you'd never know it from seeing his mazy, twisting move that fooled Joko Gvardiol, one of the greatest defenders in the competition, and led to Argentina's third goal.
Even though Messi is approaching the end of his career and his superb abilities are certainly waning, the soccer wizard can still provide incredible performances in crucial moments.
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History Will Be Made
The 2022 FIFA World Cup final is poised to be a thrilling showdown. The match between Lionel Messi and Argentina and Kylian Mbappe and reigning champion France will take place on December 18 at 10 a.m. ET.
Both teams are loaded with A-listers, but the spotlight will be on Messi and Mbappe. They aren't only Paris Saint-Germain teammates; each has five goals, which puts them atop the Golden Boot standings as the competition's leading scorer.
ESPN reported that it has never happened before that two colleagues from the same club win the Golden Boot. The player with the most assists breaks a tie following Sunday's World Cup Final. If there is still a tie after that, the player with the fewest minutes played wins.
Lionel Messi will surpass Germany legend Lothar Matthaus once he steps onto the pitch on Sunday for the most World Cup appearances (26) by a male player.
Messi's goal against Croatia on Tuesday gave him sole possession of the first place in Argentina's all-time scoring list for men, moving above Gabriel Batistuta (11) and surpassing Maradona's total of eight.
Mbappe hopes to emerge as the second-youngest player to win two World Cups. For a player of his age, 23 would be an incredible achievement, second only to Pele's two titles at 22 years old.
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