Lionel Messi has given a big hint about his future with the Argentina national team, describing the World Cup final against Spain as his “last tango”. The Argentine icon could follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, who announced his retirement from international football after Portugal’s round-of-16 exit.
On Sunday night, Argentina will look to retain its title and repeat its World Cup victory following its success in Qatar four years ago. Messi, now 39, will be 43 by the time the 2030 tournament arrives, making him two years older than Ronaldo, who was playing this summer.
Messi had an excellent performance throughout the tournament, scoring eight goals and providing four assists in seven games. The only two games in which he failed to score were the quarter-finals against Switzerland and the semi-finals against England, respectively, but he still recorded three assists in those games overall.
Before the match, Messi shared a photo of himself wearing an Argentina flag on Instagram. He wrote: “@adidasfootball what an incredible journey we are on together… with ‘Last Tango’… let’s go to the final, let’s go to Argentina!!!”
The second slide showed another shot of Messi’s blue and white Adidas boots, aptly named “El Ultimo Tango” (“The Last Tango”).
El Ultimo Tango is an Adidas collection released especially for Messi to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first World Cup in Germany in 2006. The Adidas F50 boots bring Messi’s World Cup story full circle, featuring a white, sky blue and gold tribute built around his legacy, but they could also subtly signal that he’s preparing to end his international career.
In another post, Messi shared a photo of the Argentina national team and staff and wrote a heartfelt message. It read: “The best part of the last few years was not just the trophy, but the whole journey. Sharing the days with this group, competing together, bouncing back in difficult moments, and enjoying every step.
“Thank you to my teammates, coaching staff, and everyone who works every day to make this national team feel like a family. No matter what happens tomorrow, this group has already written a story we will never forget. It is one that no one can ever erase.”
Heading into the final, French star Kylian Mbappé leads the Golden Boot race with 22 goals to Messi’s 21. It will be a fine line, and the Inter Miami forward will need at least two goals to guarantee a finish ahead of Mbappe.
Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the semi-finals and will now face Spain, who defeated Mbappé’s France 2-0. Spain last lifted the ban on silver medals in 2010. The final game will kick off at 8pm at New York/New Jersey Stadium.
