Farewell from Messi: He played his final official match in Argentina

Hosting Venezuela in the Conmebol World Cup Qualifiers, Argentina left the pitch with a clear 3-0 victory. While Lionel Messi was the star of the match, he also drew attention with his post-match statements. Argentina's goals were scored by Messi in the 39th and 80th minutes, and by Lautaro Martínez in the 76th minute.

The legend of world football, Messi, announced that the 2026 World Cup will most likely be the final major international tournament of his career and that he will not play another official match in his home country.

"I AM FULL OF HOPE AND EXCITEMENT"

Messi said, "I don't think I will play in another World Cup; the most logical thing is that I won't be able to reach it. But here we are, I am full of hope and excitement. However, this is a process that moves day by day, match by match. We have had a lot of matches this year, we have played a lot of series. Fortunately, I was able to play three matches in a row. I am moving day by day, following my feelings."

"IT WAS SOMETHING I ALWAYS DREAMED OF"

 Emphasizing that he took the field in Argentina for the last time, the 38-year-old star stated; It is very clear that today was my last match here playing for points, but I try to feel good every day and, most importantly, to be honest with myself. If I feel good, I enjoy it. If I don't feel good, I prefer not to be there. A lot has happened, and being able to finish like this here was something I always dreamed of. To be able to celebrate with my people… I received a lot of love in Barcelona for many years, but my dream was to experience this here, in my own country, with my own people. A lot has been said over many years, but I always remember the beautiful things we have done. I remember this group that tried and did not succeed, but despite everything, what we experienced was extraordinary.

News Source: 12punto