In November, the ball will kick off to start the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which marks the last tournament in which Lionel Messi will participate. Being so close to the competition, players want to avoid injury so as not to miss the event that comes every four years.
Messi has recently dealt with a calf injury, but after missing two games, the 35-year-old returned to the starting 11 against Olympique de Marseille.
The veteran forward has escaped any serious injury, but some players like Paulo Dybala and Angel Di Maria haven’t been so lucky as their situation puts them at risk of missing out on the World Cup.
“It’s a concern because it’s a different World Cup, you play at a different time and we’re so close that any little thing that can happen to you can leave you out,” Messi told DirecTV Sports.
“I hope they both recover; they have plenty of time to get well for the World Cup. Hopefully, we can all get there in good health.”
⚽️ Lionel Messi habló en exclusiva con @giraltpablo para @DIRECTVSports e hizo referencia al tema de las lesiones a pocos días del Mundial .
🎙️ "Cualquier mínima cosa te puede dejar afuera. Salir a jugar pensando en eso es contradictorio. Lo mejor es actuar con normalidad" pic.twitter.com/bnMWlx5TwO
— BUYSAN (@Buysan) October 15, 2022
Messi also spoke about his approach to ensuring that he remains away from injuries that could jeopardize his last World Cup. Nonetheless, he continues by saying that going out onto the pitch with the mindset of not injuring himself isn’t ideal either.
“Seeing these things is scary but thinking about it can be contradictory,” Messi added. “The best thing is to act normally as always, to play is the best way to be well.”
Argentina opens up the World Cup on Nov. 22 against Saudi Arabia.
