<\/p>\nEtcheverry believes Messi can still play in 2030<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Etcheverry, who represented Bolivia at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and later established himself as one of Major League Soccer’s greatest players with D.C. United, said he sees no reason why Messi cannot remain part of Argentina’s plans for another World Cup.“I see him playing in the next World Cup. Hopefully he doesn’t retire; he absolutely has to be in the next World Cup,” Etcheverry said in comments to Super Deportivo Radio, according to MARCA. His remarks come as speculation continues over whether the 39-year-old will extend his international career beyond the 2026 tournament.<\/p>\nProposal for a worldwide petition<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Etcheverry went a step further by proposing a worldwide campaign to persuade Messi to postpone any plans to retire from international football.The Bolivian football great suggested writing an open letter and collecting millions of signatures from supporters across the globe, arguing that the sport would not be the same without Argentina’s captain.He said world football would lose one of its defining figures if Messi decided to bring an end to his international career and added that he does not believe the Argentine forward truly wants to retire.“A letter has to be written and signatures gathered from all over the world to ask him not to retire. You start thinking about world football without Messi and nothing will be the same. I think he doesn’t want to retire,” Etcheverry said.<\/p>\nPraise for Messi’s latest World Cup performances<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Etcheverry also reserved special praise for Messi’s performances at the 2026 World Cup, claiming the veteran forward had reached an even higher level than during his previous appearances on football’s biggest stage.According to the former midfielder, Messi’s displays throughout the tournament stood above every other player, despite being 39 years old.“It was better than all the World Cups he played in. It was far superior to the level of the rest of the players,” he added, praising the Argentina captain\u2019s consistency and dominance.Indeed, Messi delivered another historic tournament in 2026, scoring 8 goals during the FIFA World Cup, bringing his record-breaking career total to 21 all-time World Cup goals. He also led Argentina all the way to the final, once again underlining his enduring influence on the biggest stage in world football.<\/p>\nBacking Argentina’s mentality<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
The former Bolivia international also defended Lionel Scaloni’s side against any suggestion that Argentina lacked commitment during the latter stages of the tournament.Etcheverry described Argentine footballers as “born winners” and said he never doubted their determination to compete for victory, insisting the squad always approached matches with the intention of winning.“Argentine players are natural winners. I always trust them, and I firmly believe that they are fighting with all their strength to win every moment on the field,” he stated.<\/p>\n
![\"South](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132793947,imgsize-55376,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/argentina-spain-wcup-soccer.jpg\" "\\"Argentina's")
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