As Argentina prepares to face Spain in the World Cup final, the question of whether Lionel Messi will retire from international football afterward remains genuinely unresolved, despite months of speculation.
What Messi Has Said
Messi has repeatedly avoided giving a definitive answer. In June, he stated he would keep playing until he “can’t anymore,” and when asked specifically about the 2030 World Cup, he said he would continue “as long as he can contribute, feel good physically and help his teammates.”
What Scaloni Has Said
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has been similarly non-committal, telling Diario Olé that Messi “will play until he wants to because we already know what he’s capable of,” and noting that his captain “hasn’t changed much” in terms of competitiveness and drive heading into his sixth World Cup.
Signs Pointing Both Ways
Messi’s three-year contract extension with Inter Miami, which runs until he is 41, suggests he intends to keep playing at club level regardless of his international decision. At the same time, ending an international career on a second World Cup title, should Argentina beat Spain in the final, would offer a symbolically fitting conclusion that many expect him to take.
A Past Admission
Messi has previously revealed that his international retirement plans were directly tied to World Cup success, admitting on a podcast that he “would have left the national team” had Argentina not won in 2022.
The Bottom Line
No formal announcement has been made, and Messi has given no firm date for stepping away from Argentina duty. Whether the World Cup final on July 19 marks his last appearance in the shirt may only become clear once the tournament, and this remarkable chapter of his career, has concluded.