Is messi retiring

Ray Liotta's cause of death confirmed a year after he died, more news Even though Lionel Messi After Argentina’s semifinal win over Croatia, the 35-year-old acknowledged that Sunday’s final against France However, he plans to continue on for Argentina, at least for the time being. “I am not retiring from the national team,” The next World Cup takes place in the summer of 2026, when Messi will then be 38 at the start and turn 39 two weeks into the event. The 2026 World Cup will be held in North America, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. © Provided by New York Post Argentina’s Lionel Messi holds the World Cup trophy after defeating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout.AP © Provided by New York Post Messi holds up the World Cup trophy surrounded by his teammates from Argentina, celebrating the country’s first World Cup title since 1986.AP If he were to push forward that long, he’d become the first player in history to play in six World Cups. Currently, Messi’s continuation with Argentina’s national team doesn’t mean he’ll last that long, though. The next Copa America — the premier soccer tournament featuring countries and territories from the Caribbean, North, South and Central America — will take place two years sooner in 2024. The Copa America was initially going to be held in Ecuador, but a If Messi were to remain a fixture and suit up for the 2026 World Cup, he’d be

KEY POINTS • Lionel Messi has scored 12 goals and 14 assists for PSG this season • Argentina thrashed UAE 5-0 in a friendly fixture in Abu Dhabi • World Cup will begin Sunday Lionel Messi has hinted at his retirement, saying it would partly depend on his family responsibilities. Messi was in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday as his side Argentina thrashed United Arab Emirates (UAE) 5-0 in a friendly fixture ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The Argentinian skipper was involved in two out of the five goals, scoring one and assisting Julian Alvarez's goal. The 35-year-old forward, who is yet to win the World Cup with Argentina, is set to play his fifth World Cup. He recently confirmed the upcoming edition would be his final attempt at the coveted trophy. In a recent interview, when Messi was asked if he could soon end his playing career, the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Messi was close to fulfilling his dream of lifting the World Cup trophy in 2014 but Argentina ended up losing 1-0 in the final to Germany. "But today it depends on many things, I have my family, three children, I just had a very big change in my life that was difficult for me and my whole family. Now I have gotten over it and we feel spectacular. I love football, I love playing it and I enjoy it, the only thing I've done all my life is play football, and I'm sure that whatever I do after will be related to it, although I don't know what. I don't think I'll play much more," added Messi in the After moving from his boyhood c...

Not everything has gone to plan for Lionel Messi since the Argentine superstar joined Paris Saint-Germain last year. After ending his lengthy stay at Barcelona, Messi was hoping to excel for PSG, but even though he has had some inspired moments, there have also been some difficult times for the 34-year-old legend. He emerged as more of a facilitator for the star-studded side than a goal scorer, registering more assists (13) than goals (9) with four matches remaining in 2021-22. In his first season away from FC Barcelona, Messi did lift silverware: He won the French Ligue 1 title, but he could not help the Parisian heavyweights get past the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League or the French Cup (Coupe de France). The Champions League ouster at the hands of Real Madrid could lead to big changes at PSG during the summer. Here's an assessment of Messi's situation at PSG and a look at what the future could hold for him. BREAKING: Lionel Messi is expected to STAY at PSG for at least one more season. ✅ How many goals has Messi scored at PSG? Messi excelled in the Champions League group stage, scoring five goals in six games for PSG, but they were knocked out by Real Madrid in the Round of 16, with Messi not scoring in either leg. In Ligue 1 Messi has scored just three times — he is on track for his lowest scoring league season since 2004-05 (his first in senior football), when he was a youngster and made just seven appearances in La Liga. He has, however, managed to provide 1...

3 Messi has made World Cup history with his 26th appearance in the final Credit: Getty The Argentine icon has had an up-and-down international career, retiring in 2016 before returning soon after. But why did he retire and what has Messi won? Why did Messi retire and come back? In 2016, Argentina were beaten on penalties by Chile in the final of the Copa America in a result that left Messi devastated. The icon missed a spot-kick in the shootout and after the game, he seemed to retire from international football. He said: “In the dressing room I thought that this is the end for me with the national team, it’s not for me. That’s the way I feel right now, it’s a huge sadness once again.” Arsenal release 13 players including academy star with FA Cup winners medal However, only a couple of months later, Messi announced that he would be returning to play for Argentina, saying he loved playing for his country ‘too much’. “Many things went through my head the day of the last final and I seriously thought of leaving, but I love this country and this shirt too much,” he said. “I’m grateful to all the people who wanted me to continue playing with Argentina, hopefully, we can give them something to cheer about soon.” How many goals has he scored for Argentina? Messi has scored 98 goals in 172 appearances for Argentina, with 13 of those coming at the World Cup. And it was fifth time lucky for Messi as he inspired his side to become world champions after a Before this triumph, he went c...

BEIJING, June 14 (Reuters) - Argentina skipper Lionel Messi has said that "in principle" last year's World Cup would be his fifth and final appearance at global soccer's showpiece event. The 35-year-old forward led his country to a third World Cup triumph in Qatar last December, saying throughout the tournament that he would not be playing at another edition. Messi was persuaded out of international retirement in 2016, however, and many of his compatriots were hoping he might be cajoled into going on to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. "I think not. This was my last World Cup," Messi told Titan Sports ahead of Argentina's friendly against Australia in Beijing. "I'll see how things go but in principle, I won't go to the next World Cup." The seven-times Ballon d'Or winner, who recently announced a move from Paris St Germain to Inter Miami in the United States, also paid tribute to his former coach at Barcelona, Pep Guardiola. Messi and Guardiola won two Champions League titles together at the Catalan club and Messi was delighted the Spaniard had finally clinched club football's biggest prize with Manchester City last weekend. "I talk a lot with Pep as we still maintain frequent contact. I am very happy about his achievement, winning the recent UEFA Champions League," Messi told the Chinese sports paper in an interview. "He is the best coach in the world, and although, in my opinion, he didn't need to win this Champions League title to prove that, i...

Lionel Messi confirmed that he will retire after the FIFA World Cup 2022 final on December 18. The Argentina captain, who scored from a penalty and played equally important in the other two goals scored by Julian Alvarez against Croatia to take his country to the final, said the summit clash will be his last in the sky and white stripes. Argentina's forward Lionel Messi celebrates at the end of during the Qatar 2022 World Cup football semi-final match between Argentina and Croatia at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on December 13, 2022. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)(AFP) "I feel very happy to be able to achieve this, to finish my World Cup journey by playing my last game in a final," Messi told Argentine media outlet Diario Deportivo Ole. "It's many years for the next one and I don't think I'll be able to do it. And to finish like this, it's the best," added the Argentina captain. The 35-year-old is playing at his fifth World Cup, surpassing the four of Diego Maradona and Javier Mascherano. Watch: Messi goes beyond magical, dribbles defender twice in jaw-dropping assist With his fifth goal in Qatar, he also surpassed Gabriel Batistuta as the top Albiceleste scorer at World Cups, netting 11 times. The PSG forward put on a show for a capacity crowd at Lusail Stadium in Qatar which many described as his best in recent times. This will be Messi's last chance to lift the World Cup before calling it quits. He had ended up as a runner-up after losing to Germany in 2...