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List of Football Stars Who Could Retire After World Cup 2022

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List of Football Star Who Could Retire After World Cup 2022 Featured Image

The next 22nd World Cup, which will be held in Qatar, will be a memorable one for many reasons. One of those reasons is that we may get to see some of the best football players in the world compete in their last World Cup before ending their international careers.

Check out the Players List below to see which players are getting closer to the age of retirement since this will certainly be the final chance for them to shine for their nation in the November-December 2022 Qatar world cup.

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List of Football Star Who Could Retire After World Cup 2022 Featured Image

13 Players will Retire After the 2022 FIFA World Cup

In 2022, Qatar will play host to the FIFA World Cup, which will take place from November 21 to December 18 of that year.

The most prominent players in football will join their respective national teams to compete for the most coveted trophy in the sport and earn the right to be called world champions.

On the other hand, we could get to see some legendary athletes compete in their last World Cup. Several players are getting closer and closer to the age at which they may retire, and Qatar 2022 would be their very last chance to shine.

1. Neymar, Brazil

Neymar recently surprised his supporters with a choice as he said that the forthcoming World Cup in Qatar in 2022 may be the last one for him if Brazil does not win it.

Neymark, who hails from Brazil and has participated in the World Cup twice before (in 2014 and 2018 respectively), will be making his third appearance in this year’s tournament.

2. Lionel Messi, Argentina

Another famous football player that is close to ending their international career is Lionel Messi of Argentina. Messi is on the verge of retiring from the sport.

He is widely considered to be one of Argentina’s all-time best players. Argentina, which is now looking forward to winning the Qatar world cup trophy in 2022, became the winner in the 2021 Copa America thanks to the finest performance by Messi. Argentina is now looking forward to winning the trophy in Qatar.

After the World Cup, I will not know what to do, Lionel Messi said. Because of this, I am going to have to give a lot of things another thought.

Messi, who also declared, “This will most definitely be my last World Cup,” is the player in question. He informed Sebastián Vignolo that the decision had already been taken.

3. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sweden

As he said, all of the Swedish football legends, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is on the verge of calling it quits after the world cup, will be attending the tournament. If Sweden is successful in qualifying for Qatar 2022 and Zlatan is selected for the team once again, that competition may be the iconic striker’s last one on the international scene.

It is difficult to come to terms with the possibility that Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s reign could end after the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

The international player from Sweden was instrumental in AC Milan’s return to winning ways, which culminated in the club’s hoisting of the Serie A trophy after the 2021/22 season.

After having knee surgery, he will be unable to participate in any physical activity for the next eight months. It is yet uncertain if he will be able to resume his playing career once he has recovered from his injury, therefore it is likely that he will be unable to participate in the 2018 World Cup.

4. Luka Modric, Croatia

The career of one of the best midfielders in football, Modric, who is remarkably close to ending, is ending. In the tournament that took place in Russia in 2018, the Croatian captain was responsible for leading his nation to the World Cup final for the first time in their history. Most capped players from Croatia are hoping to improve their skills before they compete at the World Cup for the last time in 2022.

Modric will certainly be remembered as one of the all-time great football midfielders. Back in 2018, the captain of Croatia advanced his team to the championship game of the World Cup for the very first time in their nation’s history.

The 35-year-old is also the player with the most international appearances for Croatia, and this will be the final time we get to see his magical and creative performance on the international stage. The athlete has previously said that this next journey to Qatar will be his last one representing his country in this capacity.

5. Giorgio Chiellini, Italy

Giorgio Chiellini led Team Italy to victory in the Euro 2020 tournament while serving as the team’s captain. The 36-year-old center defender continues to impress despite his advanced age, and it seems like he might lead the Azzurri to victory in the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. However, this tournament may be the last one he competes in while wearing an Italy jersey.

Giorgio Chiellini has previously said that he will conclude his career playing for Italy’s national team after the friendly match against Argentina that will take place at Wembley Stadium in June.

He is expected to part ways with Juventus and sign with LAFC of the MLS. Following the conclusion of the World Cup, the Italian veteran may no longer participate in club football.

6. Sergio Ramos, Spain

If we look at how Ramos performed in the past, we see that he had a peculiar season owing to a large number of injuries. His exit from Real Madrid and retirement from the Spain national team, which he captained, came at the same time.

Luis Enrique did not include any of the great players in his roster for the Euro 2020 tournament; but, once Spain qualified for the World Cup, Ramos was included in the squad. As a result, this might be Ramos’s last match wearing a La Furia Roja jersey.

In the previous season, Ramos had to deal with several injuries, he left Real Madrid, and he withdrew from the Spain national team, which he captained. All of these events contributed to a very unusual season for Ramos.

Luis Enrique decided to leave the renowned center defender off of his roster for the Euro 2020 tournament. If Spain is successful in qualifying for the World Cup and Ramos is selected for the team, it might be the final time Ramos plays in a La Furia Roja jersey.

7. Jan Vertonghen, Belgium

Throughout the years, the 34-year-old has built an outstanding relationship with fellow Belgians Toby Alderweireld and Thomas Vermaelen in the center of the defense. Together, they have been a force to be reckoned with. The next 2022 World Cup in Qatar may be his last one.

8. Pepe, Portugal

Pepe will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest center-backs to ever play for Portugal.

Even at the age of 38, the player continues to compete with Porto, for which he is currently the captain. Pepe was also selected for Portugal’s team that will compete in the Euro 2020 tournament, where he started all four games at center back and formed a combination with Ruben Dias.

Even though the qualifying rounds for the World Cup have not yet concluded, Fernando Santos’ team is now in the position of being among the favorites to go to the tournament.

And that the tournament that takes place the year after that might very well be Pepe’s last one, taking into consideration his advanced age and the emergence of new talent.

9. Diego Godin, Uruguay

Should Uruguay be able to qualify for the tournament in November, the central defender may be playing in his last World Cup.

Already a veteran of three World Cups, Godin is presently a member of the Serie A team Cagliari Calcio. He participated in the tournaments in 2010, 2014, and 2018.

The Uruguay captain, who is 35 years old and has led his team to great success at major tournaments throughout his career, may have played his last game in that role the following year.

10. Olivier Giroud, France

Giroud may hang up his international football boots after the next season, which would open the door for Karim Benzema to start for France in the Euros.

Didier Deschamps, the coach of France, decided to summon the star player for Real Madrid, which resulted in some excitement in the locker room.

Giroud, himself, played just 40 minutes for the French national team this summer, thus the 34-year-old striker may make his last appearance at the World Cup the following year.

11. Guillermo Ochoa, Mexico

It is possible that Mexico’s renowned goalkeeper, who everyone remembers from the Globe Cup in Brazil in 2014, when he wowed the football world, may hang up his cleats after the next year.

Even though he did not participate in the prior two World Cups, Ochoa will be competing in the tournament that will be held in Qatar in 2022.

However, considering Ochoa’s age, the competition in the following year has a good chance of being his last World Cup.

12. Thiago Silva, Brazil

The captain of Brazil’s national team has had a legendary run in both his club and national team careers, yet this may be the final time he leads his country to the World Cup. Brazil has won the World Cup five times.

Due to recent injury issues, Thiago Silva is unable to participate for either Chelsea or Brazil, and as a result, the choice about his professional future may not be decided until after Qatar 2022.

13. Gianluigi Buffon, Italy

Another renowned Italian player, who we would see for the final time representing his nation the following year.

Since Buffon acknowledged in July that one of his goals is to participate in the World Cup in 2022, his participation in Qatar 2022 would be the ideal way for the 43-year-old goalkeeper to say goodbye to the sport.

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