Lionel Messi bid an emotional farewell to Argentina supporters in what was almost certainly his final competitive home match, delivering a two-goal performance in a 3-0 victory over Venezuela at the Estadio Mas Monumental.
The evening carried the weight of history, celebration, and inevitable sadness as the 38-year-old captain confronted the reality of a career nearing its conclusion.
From the outset, emotions ran high.
Messi was visibly overcome as chants of his name echoed around the sold-out stadium during the warm-up, tears glistening in his eyes as he acknowledged the ovation.
Lionel Messi scored twice for Argentina in their 3-0 win over Ecuador on Thursday night
|REUTERS
His family played a central role in the farewell: wife Antonela Roccuzzo looked on from the stands, while his three sons — Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro — joined him on the pitch for the walkout and national anthem, underscoring the personal dimension of the moment.
After the match, Messi reflected on what the night meant to him and his uncertain future.
“Same as I said before about the World Cup that I don’t think I’ll play another,” he told reporters.
“Because of my age, the most logical thing is that I won’t make it.
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"But well, we’re almost there, so I’m excited and motivated to play it. Like I always say, I go day by day, going by how I feel.
"I’m trying to feel good and, above all, being honest with myself. When I feel good, I enjoy it, but when I don’t, honestly, I don’t have a good time, so I prefer not to be there if I don’t feel good.
"So we’ll see. I haven’t made a decision about the World Cup.”
Messi suggested his final choice about participating in the 2026 tournament will depend on his body and preparation, hinting that retirement could be on the cards in the process.
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🗣️ Lionel Messi y su especial estadía en Buenos Aires antes de enfrentar a Venezuela: "FUERON DÍAS MUY INTENSOS, DONDE NO PARÉ Y ME REENCONTRÉ CON MUCHOS AMIGOS Y TUVE LA SUERTE DE ESTAR CON GRAN PARTE DE MI FAMILIA". pic.twitter.com/2NAZyPPcA2
— TyC Sports (@TyCSports) September 5, 2025
“I’ll finish the season, then I’ll have preseason, and there will be six months left," he added.
"So, we’ll see how I feel. Hopefully, I’ll have a good pre-season in 2026 and finish this MLS season well, and then I’ll decide.”
The occasion was not just about speculation over his World Cup participation but also about closure.
“This year we had a lot of matches, a lot of sequences of games. Luckily, I was able to play three in a row; it’s day by day, feeling the sensations," he continued.
"It’s clear that today was the last one with points at stake here, but day by day I try to feel good and, above all, be honest with myself.
"If I feel good, I enjoy it. If I feel bad, I’d rather not be here.
"A lot of things happened, being able to finish this way here was what I always dreamed of.
"Being able to celebrate with my people… for many years I received a lot of affection at Barcelona, and my dream was to also have it here, in my country, with my people.
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Lionel Messi was joined by his family on a special night for the Argentina icon
|REUTERS
"For many years, many things were said, but I’m left with all the good we did.”
Roccuzzo paid her own tribute in a heartfelt Instagram post: “Proud of you, every step you take and everything you built with love and effort. How lucky are we to be with you on this path!!! We love you.”