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Paredes believes Messi had already decided the 2026 World Cup final would be his last match for Argentina, though the captain has yet to confirm his international future.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi (10) and Leandro Paredes (5) stand on the pitch after the team’s loss in the FIFA World Cup final (AP)
Lionel Messi has still not confirmed whether his Argentina career is over, but teammate Leandro Paredes has offered the strongest indication yet that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner may already have made up his mind.
Speaking days after Argentina’s 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, Paredes admitted the squad entered the tournament believing Messi was preparing for one final appearance in the famous Albiceleste shirt.
“It hurts because I think we said it throughout the World Cup: we didn’t want Leo’s last game to come,” Paredes told DSports.
“I think he had already decided that it would be his last game with the national team.”
The midfielder quickly added that he still hopes Messi changes his mind.
“Hopefully not — hopefully he can keep playing. It’ll be his decision, and whatever he decides, if it makes him happy, it’ll make us happy too.”
Emotional Farewell or One Final Chapter?
Messi has remained silent on his international future since Sunday’s defeat at MetLife Stadium, where Spain lifted the World Cup after Ferran Torres’ extra-time winner.
The emotional scenes after the final whistle, with Messi visibly devastated alongside his teammates, immediately sparked speculation that the 39-year-old had played his final match for Argentina. However, neither Messi nor the AFA has issued any official announcement regarding his retirement.
If the World Cup does prove to be the end, Messi would leave behind one of the greatest international careers in football history.
Across 207 appearances, he scored 125 goals and registered 65 assists while leading Argentina to the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 Copa América.
Finalissima Plans Add Another Twist
Messi’s future has become even more intriguing amid reports from TNT Sports Argentina that FIFA is pushing to stage the next Finalissima between World Cup winners Spain and Copa América champions Argentina before the end of the year.
The prospect of another showdown between the two champions has naturally raised one major question: will Messi still be part of Argentina’s squad?
For now, the answer remains unknown.
About the Author
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His…Read More
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