Lionel Messi confirms Qatar will be his last World Cup

The Lionel Messi era at FC Barcelona came to an end in 2021, and now it has been confirmed that the curtain will soon fall on his Argentina career as well. The national team captain has revealed that the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will definitely be his last. With that being the case, he may soon call time on his international career as well.

The tournament begins in less than two months, and Messi will be leading Argentina in his final bid to win a World Cup title, one of the very few trophies that he has not lifted throughout his illustrious career.

While speaking with journalist with Sebastián Vignolo, Messi did not hesitate to say that this will be his last World Cup. The 34-year-old PSG forward is determined to finally secure the trophy at the heels of Argentina's 2021 Copa America victory. That win broke the curse that has plagued the Argentine star's international career.

While his club career has been nothing but stellar, Messi's time with Argentina had been less than impressive. He faced a lot of criticism after the team lost to Germany in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, and he has even earned the nickname "pecho frio" which is a derogatory term that means "cold chest," or someone who does not give everything for the shirt.

He once declared his retirement from international football in 2016 after losing three consecutive finals. He decided to return thanks to a appeal from fans, and has since helped the team to a 35-match winning streak.

He will be the captain once more when the World Cup rolls around in the Middle East in November, and with it being his last, expectations will be very high.

"I am counting the days until the World Cup, the truth is yes, there is a bit of anxiety because we can't wait to play. On the other hand, there is a certain tension ahead of the tournament," he told Vignolo, in an interview quoted by Marca.

He said that he is confident in the quality of the current Argentina squad, but he knows that anything can happen at the tournament. "All the matches are very difficult, that's why a World Cup is so special because the favorites don't always end up winning or performing as expected," he added.