Lionel Scaloni provides update on Lionel Messi’s Argentina future

Lionel Scaloni has revealed that Lionel Messi will be welcome to play for Argentina for as long as he pleases.

Messi inspired Argentina to their first FIFA World Cup triumph since 1986 last year, bagging seven goals and three assists and playing all 690 minutes of football it took to finally lift football’s most coveted prize.

In winning the World Cup, and winning his second World Cup Golden Ball, Messi cemented his legacy as the greatest footballer of all time (according to 90min).

After that triumph, and at the age of 35, many expected Messi to retire from international football but the dynamic forward has opted to continue playing for his national team.

Speaking to the press ahead of Argentina’s games against Panama and Curacao during the March international break, manager Scaloni has insisted that only Messi himself will decide when he stops playing for his country.

“Messi will continue to come until he says otherwise,” Scaloni said. “I see him happy on the pitch and within the selection. Leo’s looking good to me. He deserves all that love. He and all the players who are here deserve to go out and receive that love because they have not been able to live it.”

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As well as being just the third Argentina captain to lift the World Cup – Daniel Passarella and Diego Maradona being the others – Messi is also his country’s all-time leading goalscorer and all-time leading appearance maker.

The legendary forward has scored 90 goals in 151 appearances for his national team since making his debut in 2005.

Messi has won one World Cup, one Copa America, an Olympic gold medal and the Under-20s World Cup with La Albiceleste to date.