Lionel Messi confirms 2022 World Cup will be his last

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Soccer superstar Lionel Messi has announced that the 2022 World Cup will officially be his last. 

"Surely, this will be my final World Cup," Messi said in an interview with ESPN. "I’m counting down the days until the World Cup. The truth is, there’s a little anxiety, saying: ‘Well, we’re here, what’s going to happen? It’s my last one, how’s it going to go?’. On one hand, I can’t wait for it to arrive, but I’m also desperate for it to go well."

The upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar will mark the fifth for the 35-year-old legend (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018), who has scored six goals in 19 matches. 

He's never tasted World Cup glory, but did lead Argentina to the final in 2014, losing to Germany in a riveting extra-time defeat. The squad made it to the quarterfinal round in 2006 and 2010, and was eliminated in the round of 16 in 2018.

"We’re at a very good moment, with a very strong group, but anything can happen at a World Cup," Messi stated. "All the matches are difficult, that is what makes a World Cup so special because the favorites are not always the ones who end up winning or even doing as well as you expect.

"I don’t know if we are the favorites, but Argentina in itself is always a candidate for history, for what it means. We are not the favorites, I think there are other teams that are above us."

Despite not being favored in Messi's eyes, Argentina has been an absolute juggernaut in international play as of late, having collected 35 straight wins dating back to 2019. Their staunch streak includes a 2021 Copa América title. 

Argentina will open competition with a Group C match Tuesday, Nov. 22 against Saudi Arabia on FS1.