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Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni is refusing to rule out a World Cup return for Lionel Messi in four years time, when the PSG forward will be 39 years old. 

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has himself confirmed that Qatar 2022 will be his fifth and final appearance at football's greatest tournament, but his manager is clearly still hopeful of what would be a significant U-turn. 

Argentine head into the tournament as dark horses to lift the trophy in Qatar on December 18, on the back of a 35-game unbeaten run.  

'Hopefully it won’t be Messi’s last World Cup,' said Scaloni to CNN Radio. 'He is happy on the pitch and makes a lot of people happy.

'If we take care of him and bring him the way we have to bring him, there could possibly be more games from him because the world of football is asking for it.'