Will Lionel Messi retire? Argentina coach breaks silence after World Cup final defeat
Following Spain's 1-0 victory over Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, speculation regarding Lionel Messi's retirement has intensified. Coach Lionel Scaloni stated that the decision to continue playing remains entirely up to the 39-year-old captain.
Why it matters
Messi is widely considered one of the greatest players in history, and his retirement would mark the end of a significant era in professional football.
NEW DELHI: Will Lionel Messi retire? Was the FIFA World Cup 2026 final his last appearance on football's biggest stage? Those questions dominated discussions as Argentina took on Spain in the final at the New York New Jersey Stadium. Argentina's title defence ended with a 1-0 extra-time defeat, but head coach Lionel Scaloni made it clear that Messi's future would be entirely his own decision. After the final, Scaloni praised the 39-year-old captain and said Messi would continue playing for as long as he wanted."Well, he's 39 years old now. Unbelievable. There's nothing new to discover from my side. It was crystal clear for me that he's going to play up until he decided to do so, and that all the team players, team-mates, and all of his people were going to support him.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in