Lionel Messi drops massive retirement hint following hat-trick against Bolivia
Argentinian skipper Lionel Messi hinted at possible retirement after scoring a brilliant hat-trick and providing two assists against Bolivia.
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Lionel Messi hinted at retirement after scoring a brilliant hat-trick against Bolivia. (via X)
Argentinian skipper Lionel Messi has hinted at retirement by suggesting that he is playing his last games after guiding his team to a victory over Bolivia. The 37-year-old forward recorded five goal involvements in a 6-0 World Cup qualifier win.
Lionel Messi was the star of the show against Bolivia, scoring a brilliant hat-trick and providing two assists. He opened the scoring in the 19th minute, followed by two assists to Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez in the first half.
Messi then scored two goals to complete his hat-trick in the 84th and 86th minutes of the match. It marked his tenth hat-trick for Argentina, putting him at par with arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo for the most by any player at the international level.
Despite the recent achievements, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner acknowledged that he might be approaching the end of his national team career. Speaking to the press, Messi stated that he hadn’t set a timeline or a deadline for his retirement and admitted that he was determined to enjoy the experience of representing his country.
I didn’t set deadlines (for retirement). I want to enjoy this, more than ever I want to be here and feel the love of the people, because it could be the last games.
Lionel Messi said (via Relovo)
??? Leo Messi on his future: "I haven’t set any date or deadline regarding my future, I just want to enjoy all of this".
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 16, 2024
"It moves me more than ever to be in Argentina and feel the love of the people because I know these could be my last matches". pic.twitter.com/QSh9U9fgbi
It remains to be seen what lies ahead for the former Barcelona star, with some fans hoping that the forward leads Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Lionel Messi’s international career over the last two decades
Argentinian star and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has enjoyed a successful international career for the last 20 years. He has played a total of 189 matches for Argentina, scoring a record 112 goals.
After making his debut for the national team in 2005 at the age of 18, Messi never looked back. He went on to become the nation’s all-time leading goal-scorer and the most-capped player, while also captaining the side since 2011.
Messi has led Argentina to six major finals, eventually winning three of them. This includes the 2022 World Cup and the 2021 and 2024 Copa America wins. Apart from trophies, Messi has several individual accolades with the national team, winning the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball twice, the World Cup Silver Boot once, and the Copa America Golden Ball twice.
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Siddhartha Roy
(699 Articles Published)