Lionel Messi is considering his future in football after the death of his father, Jorge. The 39-year-old Argentina forward is signed with Inter Miami until 2028. But, in an emotional tribute to his dad, he hinted at retirement as he said: "I don't know how to carry on.
I used to just play football, and now I'm really not sure if I'll carry on doing it for much longer." He has scored a combined 921 goals for Barcelona, Paris St-Germain, Inter Miami and Argentina. BBC Sport looks at some of the most iconic moments of his remarkable career. Messi unsure he will play 'much longer' after father's death 'That's why he's the king' - Messi sets up third World Cup final Messi's first career hat-trick came in one of the biggest fixtures in football - El Clasico.
At the age of 19, he scored all of Barcelona's goals in a 3-3 draw against rivals Real Madrid on 10 March 2007 - his first at the Camp Nou - including a brilliant last-minute finish after beating a couple of defenders. This was arguably the moment he became a household name. Just over a month after that hat-trick, Messi scored a goal he has probably never surpassed in the rest of his glorious career.
It came in a 5-2 win over Getafe in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg on 18 April 2007. In a strike with remarkable similarities to compatriot Diego Maradona's (non-handball) effort against England in the 1986 World Cup, Messi picked the ball up in his own half, beat about five defenders, went around the goalkeeper and slotted home. Ridiculous as it sounds now, back in 2009 some English football fans and journalists questioned whether Messi could do it against English opponents in Europe - having failed to net in 10 Champions League appearances against Premier League sides.
But there were no more doubts when Messi rose highest in the box to head home Xavi's cross in his first Champions League final against Manchester United - and the first game billed as Messi v Cristiano Ronaldo. Two years later he would score in another final win over Sir Alex Ferguson's men to claim the third of his four Champions League winners' medals. Messi scored four goals for the first time in his career as he took Arsenal to the cleaners in the 2010 Champions League quarter-final for a 4-1 home-leg win.
The pick of the bunch was his chip over keeper Manuel Almunia to complete his hat-trick. An honourable mention goes to his five-goal haul two years later against Bayer Leverkusen in a 7-1 last-16 success. He is the second top scorer in Champions League history with 129, behind Ronaldo.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
