Lionel Messi has decided to end his career with the Argentina national team

Leandro Paredes, midfielder of the Argentina national team, shared news that shook the football world. According to him, the legendary Lionel Messi considered the 2026 World Cup final to be his final international match. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner could not hold back his tears after the decisive match of the tournament held in North America. This was reported by Goal.com reports .

Goal.com reports that the Argentina national team's defeat in the final against Spain was painful not only because the championship was lost, but also due to the departure of the team captain. Paredes, currently playing for Boca Juniors, revealed that Messi prepared for this final mentally as his farewell game.

The captain's emotions and unexpected decision

"Paredes stated that the atmosphere in the national team camp was very heavy. 'It is very painful because throughout the entire championship we did not want this final match to come. I think he had already made a firm decision to end his national team career with this exact match,' the midfielder emphasized."

Nevertheless, Paredes, who also played alongside Messi at Paris Saint-Germain, hopes the captain will change his mind. In his opinion, the entire team and fans want to see Lionel in the Albiceleste jersey once more. However, he added that the final decision depends solely on the player himself and his happiness.

An era of major reforms in the national team

Alongside Lionel Messi, Leandro Paredes himself is having doubts about his own future in the national team. A period of major changes and generational transition is expected to begin in the team led by Lionel Scaloni. Paredes said that he is in no rush to make a hasty decision and needs to think everything through carefully.

This news is assessed as a major loss for Argentine football. For many years, Messi has been not only the leader but also the symbol of the team. With his departure, Lionel Scaloni will have to rebuild the team from scratch. This news also came as a surprise to football fans, as many were expecting Messi to win major tournaments once again.

So far, no official statement has been made by Lionel Messi or the Argentine Football Association. However, the words of a close teammate like Paredes indicate that the situation is serious. The Inter Miami forward may currently be focusing his full attention on his club career.