Report: Lionel Messi Unlikely to Continue with Argentina After 2026 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Lionel Messi and Argentina are on the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cupbut their next home qualifier may mean even more.
Argentina returns to action in September. Lionel Scaloni’s team will play Venezuela at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on September 4, then travel to Guayaquil to face Ecuador five days later. Both matches are part of the South American qualifiers, where Argentina is again among the leaders.
Scaloni’s latest squad mixes the old with the new. Lionel Messi may be 38but he’s still the player Argentina look to first. At the same time, with the presence of younger players like Franco Mastantuono, Claudio Echeverri, and José Manuel López, Scaloni is already introducing the next generation that will grow alongside the legend.
A Possible Farewell for Messi in Buenos Aires?
What makes the Venezuela match special, though, is what it could be. According to DSPORTS info, relayed by AlbicelesteTalk, this will be Messi’s last official match with Argentina in Buenos Aires. “If nothing unusual happens, Argentina’s game against Venezuela on September 4 will be Leo Messi’s last official match with the National Team in Buenos Aires,” the report said.
💔🇦🇷 "If nothing unusual happens, Argentina’s upcoming game against Venezuela on September 4 will be Leo Messi’s last official match with the National Team in Buenos Aires." @Dports 🐐 pic.twitter.com/rhqmGXdyHf
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) August 18, 2025
There’s been no official confirmation from the Argentine Football Association or Messi or Staircase yet, but the possibility has got fans emotional.
The idea that the September 4 match may be his last official game in Buenos Aires makes sense, because it would be the last match he plays at The Monumental.
The World Cup qualifiers conclude at the end of September, and there will be no more official matches for Argentina at home until after the Finalissima (happening in March 2026), which will probably take place outside of the country, and then it’s the 2026 World Cupin the USA.
Of course, this mentions ‘official’ matches, not competitive or friendlies. If he is on the pitch at the Monumental on September 4, it could be the last time that fans see him in an official Argentina jersey as the captain.
Messi’s connection with Buenos Aires is deep. The Monumental was where he celebrated the 2022 World Cup win in front of his people in 2023 and has hosted so many moments of his international career. If this is his farewell in the capital, it would be the closing of a chapter for Argentina’s greatest ever player.
For now, the focus is on the qualifiers and the 2026 road. Whether September 4 is a historic goodbye or just another night of Messi magic, the Monumental will be electric as fans get to see their captain again on home soil.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
