BREAKING: Lionel Messi Breaks Down In Tears In Emotional Farewell To Argentina Fans [PHOTO]
Lionel Messi could not hold back his emotions earlier today, September 5, as he stepped onto the Estadio Monumental pitch, potentially for the last time in front of Argentina’s home crowd.
Lionel Messi, 38, widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, was visibly moved during the warm-up as thousands of fans erupted in chants of his name.
Supporters unfurled a giant banner celebrating the man who carried Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, a moment that cemented his legacy after years of near misses with the national team.
Earlier today, Argentina, already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Brazil and Ecuador, treated their fans to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Venezuela in their last home game in the qualification series, with Messi himself scoring twice. It was the perfect script for what may go down as his final competitive match on Argentine soil.
After the game, Messi hinted that the next World Cup might be beyond him. “I don’t think I’ll play in another World Cup,” he told Diario AS. “The most logical conclusion is that I won’t be, but here we are. I’m hopeful and eager. But it’s day by day, game by game.”
The Inter Miami forward, who has battled injuries this season despite posting an impressive 27 goals and 11 assists in 34 appearances, admitted that fitness will ultimately dictate his future.
He said, “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 just day by day, feeling the sensations. 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.”
Messi, however, was determined to savour the occasion as he added, “A lot of things happened, and to be 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 love in Barcelona, and my dream was to also have it here, in my country, with my people.
“For many years, many things were said, but I’m left with all the good things we did. I’m left with the group that tried and failed to win, but then everything we experienced was beautiful.”
With Argentina set to close out their qualifying campaign away to Ecuador next Tuesday, the question of whether Messi will extend his international career beyond 2026 remains unanswered. But for the fans inside the Monumental, the end of the game felt like a goodbye from one of their most iconic stars.
