After their startling first-game defeat by Saudi Arabia in the World Cup, Argentina ultimately returned to take the championship, beating returning champs France 4-2 in penalties. It would be the country’s first World Cup win since 1986. Two of the goals belonged to Argentina’s team captain and soccer superstar, Lionel Messi. Messi has been playing competitively since 2004, but this is his first time winning the World Cup. Writing in Spanish, Messi took to his Instagram and posted a picture of himself holding the World Cup trophy. “WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!! I dreamed about it so many times…” he wrote excitedly. He thanked his family and supporters, stating that when Argentinians united, they could achieve their goals.

In an interview following the win, Messi put down rumors that he would retire immediately, although he has said in the past that this would be his last World Cup series. “I love soccer, what I do. I enjoy being part of the national team the group. I want to enjoy a couple of more matches being a world champion,” he said. He also thanked God for giving him the World Cup win saying, “I craved for this so much. I knew God would bring this gift to me, I had the feeling that this [World Cup] was the one. It took so long, but here it is. We suffered a lot, but we managed to do it.” This is not the first time Messi has acknowledged God throughout his career. Prior to the team’s World Cup win, when he was asked about whether this would be the year he finally won, he said, “I trust that God knows the right timing. He will decide my fate.” After he left Barcelona last year to play for Paris, he said, “It was God who made me play like this. Obviously, [God] gave me that gift. I have no doubt about that. He chose me, and, obviously, I then did everything possible to try to improve myself and achieve success. But without His help, I would not have gotten anywhere.”

In addition to his two goals, Messi was voted best player in Qatar and became the first player in history to win two FIFA World Cup Golden Balls. With his decision to continue to play soccer, at least for the time being, Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni was hopeful that he may stick around for the next World Cup. “We need to save him for the next World Cup – 2026,” he said. “If he wants to keep playing, he will be with us. He is more than entitled to decide what he wants to do with his career now.” The next world cup will be played across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. There have also been comparisons of Messi to Diego Maradona, the Brazilian superstar who led Argentina to its last World Cup win in 1986. Maradona passed in November 2020, and his absence was noted by Scaloni. “We are such a football passionate country, and if he were here, he would have enjoyed it so much. I wish he was here to enjoy this moment,” he said. For his part, Messi has stated he has no plans to take the title of GOAT from Maradona. “Even if I played for a million years, I’d never come close to Maradona,” Messi said. “Not that I’d want to anyway. He’s the greatest there’s ever