Messi has not announced his retirement from international football, despite ongoing speculation following the final.
Dubai: The question emerged almost immediately after the final whistle in East Rutherford — was this Lionel Messi’s final World Cup appearance? For now, there is no clear answer, with Messi himself yet to make a definitive decision on his international future.
Unlike Cristiano Ronaldo, who confirmed the end of his World Cup career after Portugal’s campaign in the same tournament, Messi has not announced any retirement plans. The Argentina captain has chosen to take time before deciding his next step and has not made any final statement about continuing with the national team following the defeat.
What Messi has actually said
Messi has faced questions about his international future at almost every World Cup since 2018. This time, however, the Argentina captain has been more direct about one possibility — he does not expect to feature in a seventh World Cup.
Asked after Argentina’s opening match against Algeria whether he could appear at the 2030 tournament, Messi indicated that he could rule it out. A World Cup campaign at the age of 43 appears unlikely, based on his own comments, though he has not announced an immediate retirement from international football.
Messi has not ruled out the possibility of stepping away from Argentina altogether at this stage. Throughout the tournament, he has maintained a cautious, day-to-day approach rather than making commitments about his international future. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has also repeatedly stated that the decision belongs entirely to Messi and will be made on his own terms.
Why the numbers suggest this could be the end
Even without an official announcement, Messi’s age has added to speculation that this may be his final World Cup. The Argentina captain turned 39 during the tournament, meaning he would be 43 if he featured at the 2030 edition. That would place him among the oldest players ever to appear in the competition, making another World Cup run highly unlikely in the eyes of many observers.
Messi has been in this situation before. Ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he said the tournament would be his last, but after finally lifting the trophy, he changed his stance and expressed his desire to continue playing and enjoy more matches as a world champion.
That history suggests the current speculation around his international future may not have a definitive conclusion anytime soon. With Messi still under contract with Inter Miami until 2028 and continuing to perform at a high level for his club, the possibility of further appearances cannot be completely ruled out.
Scaloni has made it clear that he will keep the door open for Messi for as long as the captain wants to continue. For now, there is no final decision, and considering Messi’s previous changes of heart, the answer may take time to emerge.
