LIONEL MESSI has dropped a huge hint he will retire from international football if Argentina flop at the World Cup.
The Barcelona legend, 30, called time on playing for the national side after they lost in the 2016 Copa America final to Chile.
He made a dramatic U-turn just two months later, but a poor performance in Russia could see him vanish for good.
Messi, speaking to TyC Sports, said: “If we do badly at the World Cup, we all have to disappear from the national team.
“It’ll be difficult for some to stay on.”
One man who has already confirmed he will be ending his Argentina career after next summer’s showpiece is Messi’s Barca team-mate Javier Mascherano. But the 33-year-old’s time at the Nou Camp could also be reaching its conclusion due a lack of match action.
One man who has already confirmed he will be ending his Argentina career after next summer’s showpiece is Messi’s Barca team-mate Javier Mascherano. But the 33-year-old’s time at the Nou Camp could also be reaching its conclusion due a lack of match action.
And that has sparked talk of a move away. Messi said: “Mascherano? I’m not going to tell you what he told me, but I’ll understand if he leaves, he wants to play more.
“I understand Masche. The best thing is to play and enjoy yourself, and he doesn’t think he’ll get minutes here.” Messi himself has been out of the side in recent weeks after starting Barcelona’s last two Champions League matches on the bench.
And he made no secret of his dislike at being amongst the subs.
He added: “Bench role? It’s hard for me not to play or to be subbed off, but I realised and understood that it was for the best. “Being on the bench is horrible. It looks easier from the outside.”
Argentina have been drawn in Group D at the World Cup alongside Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria.
They reached the final at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil but suffered defeat to Germany.
From The Sun
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