Messi reserves his place in the Selection

“I am not retiring from the national team. I want to continue playing like a champion.”

Lionel Messi full of attention to every step and gesture he delivered the World Cup to his country for the first time since the Diego Maradona-inspired team of 1986, and this marked ‘his last World Cup chance’ in his fifth appearance at the tournament.

“It’s crazy that it happened like this. She loved it (the title) very much.”

The 35-year-old won the Ballon d’Or awarded to player of the tournament after scoring seven goals for his country to help them become world champions for the first time since 1986, and the third time overall.

“I knew that God was going to give it to me, I had a feeling that it was going to be like that. Now to enjoy it. Look what this cup is, it’s beautiful. We suffered a lot, but we made it. We can’t wait to be in Argentina to see how crazy it’s going to be.”

Argentina did it the hard way, squandering a 2-0 halftime lead to concede twice in the second half and force overtime, before giving up the lead again to take the game to a penalty shootout. Argentina kept their cool to convert all four of their penalties for the win.

“It was a game in which we suffered. Two shitty shots and they tied. They get another penalty, they scored. Thank God later I did my thing, what I dreamed of. There could not be a World Cup that I have dreamed of like this. I was calm during the penalties”, said goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.

Argentina’s head coach, Lionel Scalonisaid in his post-match press conference that Messi will always be welcome to play for Argentina.

“First of all, we have to reserve a place for him for the World Cup in 2026. If he wants to continue playing, he will be with us. I think he has more than the right to decide if he wants to continue playing or what he wants to do with his career. “He is a great pleasure for us to train him and his teammates. Everything he transmits to his teammates is something unmatched, something he had never seen before: a player, a person who gives so much to his teammates.”

deportes@eleconomista.mx

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