Is this Lionel Messi's last World Cup? Here's what the Argentina captain has actually said
Messi has not announced his international retirement despite speculation after the final
Dubai: Within moments of the final whistle in East Rutherford, the question was already spreading everywhere: was that Lionel Messi's last World Cup? The honest answer right now is nobody knows, including, it seems, Messi himself.
Unlike Cristiano Ronaldo, who confirmed his own World Cup career was over after Portugal's run at this same tournament, Messi has offered no such clarity. He's taking things slowly, and hasn't made any final call on his Argentina future since the loss.
What Messi has actually said
Messi isn't a stranger to this exact question, he's faced some version of it at nearly every World Cup since 2018. This time, he's been fairly direct about at least one boundary. Asked after Argentina's opening match against Algeria whether he'd play a seventh World Cup, he said plainly that he could rule that out. A 2030 tournament, at 43 years old, appears to be off the table in his own words.
What he hasn't ruled out is stepping away from Argentina entirely right now. Throughout this tournament he's stuck to a day-to-day mindset rather than making any promises about his international future, and Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has consistently said the decision is entirely Messi's to make, on his own timeline.
Why the maths makes this feel final anyway
Even without an announcement, the numbers do a lot of the talking. Messi turned 39 during this tournament. The next World Cup in 2030 would have him playing at 43, older than all but two players in the competition's history. Realistically, few expect him to still be turning out for Argentina by then.
It's also worth noting Messi has been here before. He said Qatar 2022 would definitely be his last World Cup, before reversing that decision entirely once he'd finally won it, saying he wanted to keep experiencing more matches as a champion. There's no guarantee this farewell speculation plays out any differently, especially with Messi contracted to Inter Miami through 2028 and still playing at a high level for his club.
Scaloni has said he'll leave the door open for as long as Messi wants it open. For now, the closest thing to an answer is that there isn't one yet, and given his history of reversing his own retirement calls, it might be a while before there is.
