23 February 2023 , 01:00
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Lionel Messi has been warned that he may have to retire from international duty with Argentina in order to secure a contract extension at Paris Saint-Germain.
The 35-year-old icon, who gloriously inspired his nation to winning the World Cup in December, has just over four months remaining on his current deal with the French giants. PSG are keen to tie Messi down on a lucrative new contract following his superb displays this season, but he and the cash-rich Ligue 1 champions have so far been unable to reach an agreement.
Meanwhile, speculation surrounding a sensational return to beloved former team Barcelona is hotting up after his father and agent, Jorge Messi, allegedly met with club president Joan Laporta. Although a move back to the Camp Nou following two seasons away remains unlikely at this stage, doubts are only growing over whether or not seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's future will be in Paris.
All of the uncertainty has prompted Ludovic Giuly, who also played for PSG and Barcelona, to suggest that Messi may have to turn his back on Argentina in order to extend his stay in French capital. "It will be necessary to be aware that Leo will no longer be able to play all the matches. It will sometimes be necessary to rest before Champions League matches, for example," Giuly told Le Parisien.
"I can see a rhythm like three disputed matches and then one to rest. Leo says he still wants to play with Argentina and that might be a problem. After a certain age, you recover much less well from the fatigue of long plane trips. Should he give up the selection to continue? I don't know, but we'll have to talk about it."
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The former France international winger then went on to explain why Messi's talismanic performances at the World Cup should "convince" PSG that they must do all they can to keep him at the club. "We criticised him a lot but when we see the World Cup that he won because he had prepared well before, that should convince Paris to extend him," Giuly added.
"I remind you that we are talking about Lionel Messi, the best player in the world! It proves that he is capable, if he is managed well, of bringing a lot more. A guy capable, at any time, on a pass, a dribble, a strike or a free-kick, of making the difference. I'm not talking about marketing or stuff like that but, when you're called PSG, it's better to have Messi in your team than elsewhere."
Lionel Messi reached the pinnacle of his career by winning the World Cup with Argentina in December (DeFodi Images via Getty Images)Have your say! Should Messi now prioritise club football over international duty? Join the debate in the comments section.
As for what the man himself has said regarding his international future, Messi recently declared that although it'd be "difficult," he is open to representing his country at the next World Cup which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026. "I love playing football and while I feel like I'm in good shape and enjoying this, I'm going to keep at it," the legendary forward revealed to Diario Ole.
"It seems like a long time until the next World Cup, but it depends on how my career is going." In a separate interview, however, Messi admitted that there's "nothing left" to achieve at international level, having also won the Copa America in 2021.
"I achieved everything with the national team I always dreamed," he added when speaking to UrbanaPlay. "I got everything in my career, individually. It was about closing my career in a unique way. I never imagined that all this was going to happen to me when I started, and getting to this moment was the best. I have no complaints and I can't ask for more."