Buenos Aires, Argentina (AP) – Lionel Messi Although he has yet to announce plans to retire, he knows that next week’s match against Venezuela could be his last in the World Cup qualifiers against the Argentina national team.
Messi, 38, said Wednesday night after Intermiami beat Orlando City to advance to the League Cup final.
Argentina, Comes with spots already secured at next year’s World Cuphosting Venezuela at the monumental stadium in Buenos Aires next Thursday, hosting the penultimate round of South American qualifying rounds. The final match will take place in Ecuador on September 9th.
Messi hints that he will retire from the national team after next year’s World Cup, with Argentina set to defend the title he won in Qatar 2022.
Qualifying for the 2030 World Cup will begin in 2027 when the soccer star turns 40 years old.
“I don’t know if there will be a friendly or more after (Venezuela), but it’s a very special match, so my family will be with me: my wife, my children, my parents, my siblings,” Messi said. “We’re going to live that way. We don’t know what will happen next.”
Following Messi’s statement, Commebor, the governing body of South American football, took a photo of Messi wearing an Argentinean shirt on social media, writing “the final dance is coming.”
Meanwhile, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) is looking to take advantage of Messi’s last home match by increasing ticket prices.
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