Lionel Messi just celebrated his 39th birthday, and he’s absolutely dominating the World Cup right now, but get this, no one can even ask him if Sunday’s final against Spain in New Jersey’s Meadowlands is actually his last game with Argentina. Yeah, you read that right.
He’s Still the King, But He Ain’t Talkin’
This dude is 39! Pele had been retired for two years at that point. Maradona hadn’t earned a national team cap in five, and Zinedine Zidane was way past head-butting his way out of the 2006 final. But Messi? He’s the statistical leader for the Golden Boot, tied with France’s Kylian Mbappe with 8 goals and ahead on the assists tiebreaker. He’s the obvious favorite for the Golden Ball, too. Everyone’s assuming, because of his age, that this World Cup final is his last official act with Argentina. So, naturally, someone tried to ask about it. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni’s response Friday in Manhattan was just gold: “What do I know? Ask him. I don’t have the foggiest idea. I don’t know what to answer. He doesn’t stop surprising us.” And then Messi pulls a move that’s kinda predictable in retrospect: he didn’t even show up for the final pregame press conference. Spain’s Rodri was there, as team captains traditionally are, but Argentina sent goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez instead. We’re all just left wondering, aren’t we?
Dynasty in the Making, Burden Lifted
This isn’t some flash in the pan either. This Sunday will be Messi’s fourth major tournament final since 2021, all with Scaloni leading the charge. Argentina won the last three: the Copa America in 2021 and 2024, and the World Cup in 2022. If they pull this off against Spain, Argentina becomes only the third team ever to win consecutive World Cups, joining Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962). That’s insane! But here’s the wild part: Messi isn’t carrying the same old weight. He’s not trying to prove his national team success matches his mind-blowing run at FC Barcelona, where he snagged four UEFA Champions League titles, three FIFA Club World Cups, and ten La Liga titles over Real Madrid. Remember when people actually questioned his commitment to Argentina because he left for Barca’s La Masia academy at 13? That’s ancient history. Now, after every game, you see it: he’s celebrating with the massive crowds, embracing teammates and coaches, maybe even shedding a tear or two. Scaloni nails it: “You see how people are celebrating, how happy they feel, and that really gets to us. It’s impossible.”
So Sunday, against Spain, we get to witness history. Argentina is on the cusp of back-to-back World Cups, and Messi is playing like he’s 25. Will he officially hang up his international boots after this? We still don’t know, but you better believe every soccer fan on the planet will be glued to that screen, soaking up every second of what might be his final, glorious bow.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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