Will continue to play few games as World Champion, would not retire: Lionel Messi

After helping Argentina win the 2022 World Cup in a stunning penalty shootout victory over France on Sunday Lionel Messi has said he would not retire from international footballldquoI won the Copa America and the World Cup in a short time I love what I do being in the national team and I want to continue living a few more games being a world champion I am going to take the Cup to Argentina to enjoy it with yourdquo said Messi as quoted by ESPNArgentinarsquos first global championship since Diego Maradona led them to victory in Mexico in 1986 was the fulfilment of a ldquochildhood dreamrdquo according to MessildquoItrsquos anyonersquos childhood dream I was lucky to have achieved everything in this career hellip and this one that was missing is here Itrsquos madness hellip look how she the World Cup is shersquos gorgeous I wanted her so much I had a vision that this would be the one hellip she was getting closer We suffer but we already have it the World Cup I wanted to close my career with this I can no longer ask for anything else thank God he gave me everythingrdquo said the 35yearold talismanic strikerArgentinarsquos head coach Lionel Scaloni said during a postmatch interview that Messi is welcome to play for the team in the 2026 World CupAlso Read FIFA World Cup 2022 Argentina team get heroic welcome back homeldquoFirst of all we need to save him a spot for the World Cup 2026 If he wants to keep playing he will be with us I think he is more than entitled to decide whether he wants to keep playing or what he wants to do with his career It is such a huge pleasure for us to coach him and his teammates Everything that he transmits to his teammates is something unparalleled something I have never seen before a player a person who gives so much to his teammatesrdquo expressed ScaloniAfter announcing that the 2022 World Cup would be his last Messi 35 set the record for most World Cup appearances on Sunday when he played in his 26th matchAt the Lusail Stadium in Doha Qatar Messi first scored from the penalty spot before adding another goal in extra time when the ball dropped to him in the 6yard box A few minutes later Francersquos Kylian Mbappe scored a penalty to complete his hat trick but Argentina prevailed 42 in the shootout to win their third World CupThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever