Xavi: Messi can play until he’s 40

Will Lionel Messi be plying his trade at the very top level in his late thirties? Well, Xavi reckons he can.

Messi, 31, continues to produce heroics for Barcelona and his former teammate believes he could be doing it for another 7-9 years.

“Sometimes I think that he can play until he is 38, 39 or 40. He needs very little to be able to do that,” he told Catalunya Radio via Marca.

Xavi added: “What do you lose as you get older? Your pace? Well he won’t lose his mental speed. Messi is incomparable.”

The Barcelona legend even thinks Messi can play wherever he wants. We don’t doubt him.

“I think that he would be able to play wherever he wants on the park,” he added.

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“He already drifts into the centre of the field and is effective there, as he is at defending too because he is very strong mentally.”

Well, the man himself feels he could play until 41!

In an interview with Spanish television programme El Chiringuito, the 33-year-old confirmed that he has the biological age of a 23-year-old.

The former Manchester United winger just isn’t showing signs of slowing down, even if people did doubt him at the start of the season.

“I’ve still got a long time left, I can keep playing until I’m 41,” he said. I’m feeling good, happy, I can’t complain. We are playing another final on Saturday and the fans are behind Cristiano.”

Here’s hoping the pair don’t call it quits any time soon.