Brushing aside all speculations about his retirement, Argentina star Lionel Messi, who achieved his World Cup dream on Sunday after beating France, said he would continue to play for his country.
After receiving the Golden Ball award for the best player of the tournament, Messi said: "No, I'm not going to retire from the Argentina national team," he told TyC Sports, an Argentinan media. "I want to continue playing as a champion."
The football legend, who scored two goals in the final before his spot-kick in the shoot-out that Argentina won 4-2, said he had a feeling he was going to win the tournament this time around.
"It's crazy that it happened this way. I wanted it very much," 35-year-old said. "I knew that God was going to give it to me, I had a feeling that it was going to be this way. Now to enjoy. Look at this cup, it's beautiful. We suffered a lot but we made it. We can't wait to be in Argentina and to see how crazy it's going to be," he added.
He added that the trophy was what he wanted all of his life. "This was my dream since childhood. It's anyone's childhood dream," Messi said. "I was lucky to have achieved everything in this career ... and this one that was missing is here," said Messi.
This is Argentina's first win since Diego Maradona led them to victory in Mexico in 1986.
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni too said Messi will always be welcome to play for Argentina. "First of all, we need to save him a spot for the World Cup 2026," Scaloni said. "If he wants to keep playing, he will be with us. I think he is more than entitled to decide whether he wants to keep playing or what he wants to do with his career."
Scaloni added that it was a huge pleasure for him to coach Messi and his teammates. "Everything that he transmits to his teammates is something unparalleled, something I have never seen before -- a player, a person who gives so much to his teammates," Scaloni added.
