Barcelona and Argentina icon Lionel Messi hints at date for international retirement | OneFootball

Lionel Messi is now 38, and the Barcelona icon will soon be coming towards the final days of his professional playing career. And if this recent comments are anything to go by, it will sooner rather than later that he hangs up his boots.

After winning the World Cup in 2022, many expected Messi to end his international career, but he has kept going. And he will be aiming to help Argentina defend their crown next summer in North America. Los Albiceleste are already qualified for the 2026 tournament, and next week, they face Venezuela and Ecuador in their final qualifiers.

The match against Venezuela, which is scheduled for the early hours of next Friday morning, will be special for Messi, as he has confirmed (via MD) that it will be his last World Cup qualifier for Argentina.

“Yes, it’s going to be special, it’s going to be a very special match for me because it’s the last one in the qualifiers. I don’t know if there will be friendlies or more matches afterwards. I will be accompanied by my family, my wife, my children, my parents. We are going to live it that way. After that, I don’t know what will happen, but we are going with that intention.”

Image via Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

Argentina have already identified Messi’s “heir”

It would be no surprise to see Messi end his international after next summer’s World Cup. So far, he has made 184 appearances for the Argentine national team, scoring 112 goals – and he will hope to add to that tally in North America.

Argentina have already started making preparations for Messi’s retirement, which will be an incredibly sad day for everyone across the South American country. Recently, it was reported that his successor has already been identified – and it is none other than new Real Madrid player Franco Mastantuono.