ARGENTINA captain Lionel Messi said his international future will be determined by his country’s performance at the World Cup in Russia.

“It will depend on how far we go, how we’re going to finish” at the finals, Messi said in an interview with Spanish daily Sport Monday.

“We’ve just lost three finals in a row, which has led to us going through some difficult moments with the press,” added the Barcelona forward.

“Notably with the Argentine press because we have differences of opinion over what it means to make these three finals.”

Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final 1-0 to Germany after extra time, before suffering successive defeats by Chile on penalties at the Copa America in 2015 and 2016.

Messi, who will turn 31 during the World Cup, believes Spain, Brazil, Germany, France and Belgium are the leading contenders for the title.

“There are lots of teams who arrive with lots of confidence, with both a team game and individual talents,” said the five-time world player of the year.

Argentina launches its World Cup campaign against Iceland on Saturday in Moscow, with games to follow against Croatia and Nigeria in Group D.

The team’s destiny is more closely tied to the Barcelona forward than ever before.

There are plenty of doubts for coach Jorge Sampaoli ahead of the tournament in Russia.

Defender Javier Mascherano is reaching the end of his career, while striker Sergio Aguero and midfielder Lucas Biglia both experienced injury problems recently. Paulo Dybala is yet to deliver for his country despite all the promise on display at Juventus.

Argentina secured its spot in Russia in the last round of South American qualifiers thanks to Messi’s hat trick against Ecuador. The deficiencies in the team were underscored in a 6-1 loss to Spain in a friendly in March.

Sampaoli took over in June 2017 to replace Edgardo Bauza when Argentina was on the verge of missing a World Cup spot.

Sampaoli didn’t manage a first division club at home, developing his career in Peru and then Chile. His success at Universidad de Chile pushed him to the Chilean national team in 2012.

At the 2014 World Cup, Sampaoli’s Chile reached the round of 16 but lost to host Brazil on penalties. But a year later, Chile won its first-ever title while hosting the Copa America.

Until the dismal loss to Spain, Sampaoli’s preferred option in the center was Lucas Biglia, but he will be racing to be fit for the World Cup after injuring his back.

Sampaoli dismissed critics and included veteran Javier Mascherano, who will play at his fourth World Cup at the age of 34.

(SD-Agencies)