When Will Lionel Messi Retire? This Is What The Argentina Skipper Said

KEY POINTS

Lionel Messi has scored 12 goals and 14 assists for PSG this season
Argentina thrashed UAE 5-0 in a friendly fixture in Abu Dhabi
World Cup will begin Sunday

Lionel Messi has hinted at his retirement, saying it would partly depend on his family responsibilities.

Messi was in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday as his side Argentina thrashed United Arab Emirates (UAE) 5-0 in a friendly fixture ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The Argentinian skipper was involved in two out of the five goals, scoring one and assisting Julian Alvarez's goal.

The 35-year-old forward, who is yet to win the World Cup with Argentina, is set to play his fifth World Cup. He recently confirmed the upcoming edition would be his final attempt at the coveted trophy.

In a recent interview, when Messi was asked if he could soon end his playing career, the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star replied, "I don't know, so many things happen/ It was a dream that I always had as a child, of being able to play in Argentine football, that I would go to the pitch and I wanted to be there."

Messi was close to fulfilling his dream of lifting the World Cup trophy in 2014 but Argentina ended up losing 1-0 in the final to Germany.

"But today it depends on many things, I have my family, three children, I just had a very big change in my life that was difficult for me and my whole family. Now I have gotten over it and we feel spectacular. I love football, I love playing it and I enjoy it, the only thing I've done all my life is play football, and I'm sure that whatever I do after will be related to it, although I don't know what. I don't think I'll play much more," added Messi in the same interview.

After moving from his boyhood club FC Barcelona to PSG in 2021, Messi struggled in his first season at Parc des Princes. However, he has enjoyed his run with the Ligue 1 side this season, having scored 12 goals and 14 assists in 19 appearances in all competitions.