Lionel Messi says Sunday’s final will be the last World Cup match of his career.
The Argentina captain, 35, starred in his side’s 3-0 semi-final victory against Croatia on Tuesday night, scoring the opener at Lusail Stadium before assisting the third goal following an incredible run.
Afterwards, Messi confirmed his fifth World Cup would be his last, as he attempts to finally secure football's most coveted prize. Messi, joint top-scorer in Qatar with five goals, contested the 2014 final, but Argentina lost to Germany.
“I am very happy for finishing my journey in World Cups in a final, to play the last game in a final,” Messi said on Tuesday night. “That is really very gratifying.
“Everything I lived in this World Cup has been emotional, seeing how much it has been enjoyed in Argentina.
“There are a lot of years from this year to the next one [World Cup 2026]. I don't think I will be able to do that. To finish this way is brilliant.”
Two-time champions, Argentina will face in the final either current holders France or surprise package Morocco, who play each other at Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday.
Should Messi play the showpiece on Sunday, he will become the record appearance-maker at a men’s World Cup, with 26 matches. He made his senior international debut in 2005, and has gone on to score 97 goals in 172 matches.
Messi, a record seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, led Argentina last year to the Copa America title – his first major trophy with his senior national team.
In 2016, following successive defeats in Copa America finals, the forward retired from international duty before reversing his decision two months later.
“We are going to do our best, as we have done up until now, so that this time it really happens – we really win it,” Messi said. “I have been enjoying it the past few years, being with the national side. I am really enjoying everything that is happening to us.
“To get the Copa America, to reach the World Cup with 36 games unbeaten, and to finish all that trajectory in a final is just incredible.
“I hope the people in Argentina enjoy themselves and what we are doing. They shouldn't doubt we are giving absolutely everything.”
Meanwhile, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni was asked after the semi-final win if Messi ranked as the best to have played the game.
“Whether Messi is the greatest player of all time … sometimes as Argentinians it of course looks like we say that just because we are Argentinian,” Scaloni said." Maybe it's selfish. I don't have any doubt saying that: he is the best in history.
“I have the privilege. I am honoured to train him and see him play. It's something exciting because every time you see him play, it's a huge source of motivation for his teammates, the people, the whole world.
“So there is nothing left to say about Messi. It's indeed a privilege to have him in the squad.”
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
