Argentina captain Lionel Messi will not retire from international football, saying he wants to continue playing as a world champion.
Messi scored twice for Argentina in Sunday’s thrilling World Cup final over France as the game ended 3-3 after extra-time, before converting in the penalty shoot-out which his side won 4-2 to claim the biggest prize in football.
Despite being 35, Messi wants to carry on playing for his country beyond this World Cup putting to bed any doubts that he might retire.
“I will not retire,” he said. “I want to continue playing as a World Cup champion.
“It’s the most beautiful thing there is,” Messi told TyC Sports. “Look what it is, it’s beautiful, I wanted it a lot. God was going to give it to me, I had a feeling that it was this, we suffered a lot, but we got it.
“Obviously I wanted to close my career with this, I can’t ask for anything anymore. Thank God he gave me everything. Closing almost my career like this, it’s impressive.