Paredes Hints at Messi's Possible Retirement from Argentina Team

Lionel Messi has yet to officially announce his retirement from international football, but teammate Leandro Paredes has provided significant insight suggesting that the legendary player may have already made a decision regarding his future with the Argentine national team. Following Argentina's narrow 1-0 loss to Spain in the extra time of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, Paredes expressed the team's sentiment that they had entered the tournament under the impression that Messi was preparing for what could be his final game in the iconic Albiceleste jersey. Paredes stated, “It hurts because I think we said it throughout the World Cup: we didn’t want Leo’s last game to come.” He further elaborated, “I think he had already decided that it would be his last game with the national team.” Despite this, Paredes remains hopeful that Messi will reconsider his decision. “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,” he added.

Since the heartbreaking defeat at MetLife Stadium, where Spain claimed the World Cup title with Ferran Torres’ extra-time goal, Messi has refrained from commenting on his international career. The emotional aftermath of the match saw Messi visibly upset alongside his teammates, which fueled speculation about whether the 39-year-old had indeed played his last match for Argentina. Nonetheless, there has been no formal announcement from either Messi or the Argentine Football Association (AFA) regarding his retirement status. Should this World Cup mark the conclusion of his illustrious international career, Messi would depart with an impressive legacy, having made 207 appearances for Argentina, netting 125 goals and providing 65 assists. His remarkable achievements include leading the national team to victory in the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and the upcoming 2024 Copa América.