13 June 2023 , 16:04
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Argentinian legend Lionel Messi has revealed that the World Cup in 2022 in Qatar is likely to go down as the last of his illustrious career.
The Barcelona icon went into the winter tournament hoping upset the odds to finally get his hands on the missing piece of silverware in his collection and emerged as a world champion for a first time in one of sports' great fairytale triumphs. Now, after winning a staggering 42 winner's medals for both club and country and a record seven Ballon d'Ors, a landmark switch to Inter Miami beckons.
However, it now appears that the 35-year-old is resigned to last year's World Cup being his last, confirming that he will more than likely be attending the next tournament as a spectator rather than as a player. When asked whether he could lead out his country once more in the showpiece international competition, he told Titan Sports : "I think not."
Seemingly putting the debate over whether he could turn out in the US in three years time to bed, he added: "[2022] was my last World Cup. I will see how things go, but in principle no, I will not go to the next World Cup."
It appears that Messi now seems fulfilled from a sporting perspective following the emotional achievement in Qatar. The diminutive forward also went on to say that individual honours like the Ballon d'Or now pale in significance following the triumph with his country.
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He explained: “Does the Ballon d'Or matter to me? No, it's no longer important to me. I've always said, the individual prizes are not what matters to me. The collective ones are the most important. The most important prize at the moment is the World Cup, the greatest prize for me.”
Lionel Messi's impending arrival in the MLS is already having a major impact stateside. (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)Following his historic World Cup win as captain last year, one senses that he is well-placed in the running to win yet another Ballon d'Or, regardless. With the departing Paris Saint-Germain star set to see out the twilight of his career with his new South Beach club, the likelihood of him winning more of these gongs will likely decrease but it seems he is at peace with the prospect.
The hope for soccer chiefs in the US will be that Messi's arrival stateside could well help to catapult the popularity of the sport in the country ahead of the 2026 World Cup in 2026. The US will host the competition for a first time since 1994 and will do so alongside neighbours Mexico and Canada.
It appears that his star power shows no signs of waning either, with tickets to see him in action for Inter Miami having sold out within hours of the announcement of his impending signing. As couple of chapters in Messi's career come to a close, it could be that an exciting new one is opening up for him in the US.