Soccer-Palacios wants Messi to be Argentine eternal

Soccer Football - Europa League - Quarter Final - Second Leg - West Ham United v Bayer Leverkusen - London Stadium, London, Britain - April 18, 2024 Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie and Exequiel Palacios celebrate after the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File Photo

(Reuters) - Argentina midfielder Exequiel Palacios wants Lionel Messi to be an eternal part of the national team and cannot bear the thought of playing for his country without the inspirational forward.

Palacios, 25, who won the Copa America with his country in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022, admitted he found it hard to picture an Argentina side without the 36-year-old Messi, a record eight-times Ballon D'Or winner.