Lionel Messi: 2018 World Cup last chance for glory

Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi has revealed that he is fully aware of the fact that next summer's World Cup in Russia might be the last chance for him to win a trophy with the national team. Messi and his team came very close to grabbing the silverware at three consecutive major tournaments, but lost three finals: at the 2014 World Cup and then at the 2015 and 2016 editions of the Copa America. Argentina have not won a major trophy since the 1993 Copa America, and their last triumph at the World Cup was all the way back in 1986. "I cried many times because of games like these, for lost finals, for what they mean and for not being able to achieve the dream of a country," Lionel Messi said in an Argentine television program. "The three finals were tough blows. It seems like having reached three finals doesn't help us at all." Lionel Messi is now 30 years old and turns 31 in June, which means he will be 35 years old at the next World Cup final tournament, in 2022. Moreover, essential team-mates like Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria, Nicolas Otamendi and Javier Mascherano are also above the age of 30. "We depend on the results, unfortunately," Messi added. "We feel that if we are not champions, we will not have another. I want to tell people that I hope it's a great World Cup for us, that my wish is the same as all of you and that we can live something similar to 2014, which was an unforgettable experience, and that the result is similar but this time raising the cup is everyone's dream." Argentina will take on Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria in the group stage at the 2018 World Cup, which kicks off in June. Argentina are 9/1 at Bet365 to win the 2018 World Cup.