Lionel Messi Finalises Retirement Decision, Says Report. Plan For Next Few Months Revealed
Reports indicate Messi aims to continue with Argentina for a few months before formally ending his international career, with no plans for another World Cup.
- Lionel Messi finished the 2026 World Cup as the second-highest scorer with eight goals and four assists
- Messi plans to retire from international football soon but will not play in another World Cup
- The Argentine Football Association is planning a high-profile farewell match for Messi
The 2026 FIFA World Cup was widely expected to be Lionel Messi's swansong in an Argentina shirt. At 39, Messi defied age and surprised everyone with his masterclass performances on the pitch, ending the campaign as the second-highest scorer in the tournament with eight goals and four assists to his name. However, as Argentina suffered a soul-shattering defeat to Spain in the final, Messi refused to share his plans for the future. Manager Lionel Scaloni kept the national team's door wide open for him, but reports in the Argentine media have now shed light on the legend's retirement timeline.
According to several reports in Argentina, the former Barcelona star hopes to continue representing the national team over the next few months to ensure a smooth transition for the squad. However, it is clear that another World Cup campaign for La Albiceleste is no longer in his plans. Instead, Messi is preparing to bring a formal end to his illustrious international career in the near future.
It has further been reported that the Argentine Football Association is actively planning to organise a special, high-profile farewell match for Messi. This event will allow fans across the nation to bid a grand farewell to arguably the greatest player ever to grace the pitch for Argentina, a report in BeIN Sports said.
Messi's international career has had quite extraordinary twists and turns. After enduring years of harsh criticism following a string of heartbreaking final losses, Messi led Argentina into one of the most successful eras in football history. With Messi as the central figure, Argentina won the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2024 Copa América, while also reaching the final of the World Cup this year.
Even for some of the biggest icons of the game, retirements are often reduced to simple social media posts or brief press conferences. However, for Lionel Messi's international goodbye, all indications suggest that the moment will be as grand and unforgettable as the iconic No. 10's career has been.
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