Desk Correspondent , Buenos Aires - Lionel Messi reportedly played his final match on Argentine soil this week, in what many experts and fans are treating as the emotional prelude to his retirement from international football after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In a 5-0 friendly win over Zambia at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, the 38 year old captain scored a goal and provided an assist, bringing his international tally to 116 goals in 198 appearances, as fans gave him a prolonged standing ovation and chanted for one last World Cup ride.

Messi has already described his earlier September 2025 World Cup qualifier win over Venezuela as his “last competitive match in Argentina,” and has repeatedly refused to give a hard retirement date, telling reporters only that he will monitor his body and make a decision as the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada approaches. Analysts widely expect the 2026 World Cup, where Argentina will defend its title to be his final tournament with the national team, though he has also signed a contract extension keeping him at Inter Miami until 2028, leaving the door open for a longer club career even after hanging up his Albiceleste jersey.

If Messi does step away after 2026, his international farewell would cap a legacy that includes a World Cup triumph, two Copa América titles, and countless record breaking performances, closing a chapter that has deeply shaped modern football and leaving a void in Argentina’s side that the next generation will be asked to fill.