Argentine journalist and football pundit Yanina Latorre has claimed that football legend, Lionel Messi has informed his Argentina teammates of his decision to retire from international football before Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain.
Argentina entered the final hoping to defend the World Cup title they won in Qatar 2022, but their dream ended in disappointment after Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in extra time to hand Spain a 1-0 victory.
Messi, who had inspired Argentina throughout the tournament, endured a quiet outing in the final as Lionel Scaloni’s side fell short against the European champions.
The tournament marked Messi’s sixth World Cup appearance. Having turned 39 during the competition, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is widely expected to have played his final World Cup, with the next edition set to take place when he will be 43 years old.
According to Latorre, the Argentina captain delivered an emotional farewell speech to his teammates in the dressing room before the final at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
She claimed the announcement moved several players to tears before Messi urged the squad to put their emotions aside and focus on the match.
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“I already told it on the radio. Nothing happened, it was Messi’s farewell speech in the locker room.
“The end of the Messi era with the national team, and everyone broke down. It was all very emotional and it’s logical, they’re human beings,” Yanina wrote on X.
Messi has not publicly confirmed his retirement from international football, and neither the Argentine Football Association nor the player has officially commented on the claim.
In September 2025, Messi received an emotional farewell after what was billed as his final competitive home appearance for Argentina in a 3-0 FIFA World Cup qualifying victory over Venezuela, fueling speculation that the 2026 tournament would mark the end of his international career.
Despite Argentina’s defeat in the World Cup final, Messi once again showcased his quality on the global stage.
The Inter Miami captain finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists in eight appearances, narrowly missing out on both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot awards, which went to Spain’s Rodri and France’s Kylian Mbappé, respectively.
For now, uncertainty remains over whether “La Pulga” has played his final match for Argentina. Until an official announcement is made, his international future remains unresolved.
Messi retires as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer, having registered an extraordinary 125 goals and 68 assists in 207 appearances for the reigning South American champions.
