Will Messi announce his retirement from the Argentina national team before the end of July?
65% of users predicted NO — the community got this one right. 48 predictions cast.
Lionel Messi did not announce his retirement from Argentina's national team in July 2026, despite widespread speculation following Argentina's 1-0 extra-time loss to Spain in the World Cup final on July 20 at MetLife Stadium. Messi played all 120-plus minutes of the final, about a month after turning 39.
Rather than an immediate announcement, reporting from NBC News and other outlets indicated the Argentine Football Association was planning a farewell tribute match on home soil, with Messi expected to continue being called up by coach Lionel Scaloni for upcoming fixtures while a proper send-off is arranged. No official retirement date was set by the end of July.
Under Scaloni, Messi has won the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 World Cup, and the 2024 Copa America, along with the runner-up finish in 2026. The federation has also discussed retiring his No. 10 jersey once he does step away.
The community assigned a 35% chance to a July retirement announcement, correctly favoring 'no' as Messi and the federation opted for a planned farewell rather than an abrupt exit.