FOOTBALL: ARGENTINA'S LIONEL MESSI TO PLAY HIS LAST TOURNAMENT IN QATAR

According to AFP, Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina, stated on Thursday that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will "surely" be his final tournament.

This World Cup is undoubtedly my last. I have a strong physical health, and this year, I was able to have a strong preseason unlike last year. It was crucial for me to get where I am, in a positive state of mind and with a great deal of hope, the 35-year-old said to ESPN-Argentina.

Messi made his debut in 2007, and since then, he has earned 164 caps for Argentina. In 2014, when his team advanced to the final, he came the closest to winning the World Cup.

Later, he participated in the tournaments held in South Africa in 2010, Brazil in 2014, where Argentina advanced to the final, and Russia in 2018.

The current side, led by Lionel Scaloni, have gone 35 games without suffering a loss and are expected to be among the pre-tournament favourites.

In 2016, Messi had previously declared his retirement from the internationals, but he soon reversed the decision. He later put an end to his prolonged trophy by leading Argentina to the Copa America championship in 2021. Then, Messi was the star of the Finalissima at Wembley earlier this year, when Copa America champions Argentina defeated European champions Italy 3-0.

Messi admitted in the ESPN interview in Paris, where he plays for Paris Saint-Germain, that he was nervous about the impending tournament.