Lionel Messi was overcome with emotion on Thursday night as he played what he confirmed to be his final competitive match in Argentina, leading the national team to a 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Venezuela at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
The Inter Miami forward scored twice, while Lautaro Martínez added a third, giving fans a fitting farewell performance. Addressing supporters after the game, Messi said ending his competitive journey on home soil was a lifelong dream.
“There are so many emotions. It’s always a joy to play in Argentina with our people. To be able to finish here this way is something I always dreamed of,” Messi said.
Reflecting on his career, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner acknowledged the love he had received from Barcelona throughout his club career but said his deepest wish had always been to feel the same level of affection from his compatriots, something he now feels he has achieved.
While Argentina have already secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Messi was noncommittal about whether he would play in the tournament, which will be staged across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
“Same as I said before, I don’t think I’ll play another World Cup. Because of my age, the most logical thing is that I won’t. But we’re almost there, and I feel excited and motivated, so we’ll see. I’ll decide closer to the tournament,” he explained.
Messi, Argentina’s all-time top scorer and most-capped player, made his World Cup debut in 2006 at just 18 and went on to feature in five tournaments, famously captaining La Albiceleste to glory in Qatar in 2022.
After the win over Venezuela, he confirmed he would sit out Argentina’s next qualifier against Ecuador in Guayaquil as the team closes out the current international window.
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