Mascherano announces plans to retire from Argentina duty after World Cup
Javier Mascherano has announced plans to retire from international duty following the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Mascherano played a vital role in Argentina's climactic South American qualifying campaign, and with four appearances to go until he levels Javier Zanetti's national record of 139 caps, the Barcelona defender has revealed plans to hang up his La Albiceleste kit.
"If I get to Russia that will be the end, I know that for sure," Mascherano told Spanish outlet Sport, courtesy of Sky Sports. "For a lot of people the story could have finished, but thanks to God it was not like this."
Hanging by a thread ahead of Tuesday's CONMEBOL finale, Argentina came from behind against Ecuador, courtesy of Lionel Messi's stunning hat-trick to book a spot at a 12th consecutive World Cup.
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"Lionel Messi owns this game and when you own the game you have the ability to make things happen," Mascherano said about his Blaugrana brethren's dazzling display. "I hope we can help him in Russia, we enjoyed him and now we have to help him."
First capped for country in 2003, before making his senior debut with boyhood River Plate, Mascherano has been a mainstay of a squad that's witnessed its fair share of ups and downs. That includes losses in the finals of the last three major tournaments, including the 2015 and 2016 Copa America final, paired with defeat to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final.
Few know what it takes to excel at the quadrennial contest better than the 33-year-old San Lorenzo product, and with eight months to go before the World Cup, Mascherano admits that the memories of the Die Mannschaft defeat are still fresh in his mind.
"We have the chance to dream. It's a World Cup and we can remember how we played in Brazil (when they reached the final in 2014 before losing to Germany)," the five-time major tournament bridesmaid added. "We have to prepare in these seven or eight months to arrive in the best form possible, and we'll try to do it."