The soccer world was recently shaken by the death of Jorge, Lionel Messi’s father. The Argentina No. 10 publicly said goodbye to him through his Instagram account, revealing, among other things, some of the most difficult moments he experienced during the 2026 World Cup.
“Every time a match ended, I waited for and missed your message. That’s when I realized the situation was really serious. Even so, I never stopped thinking about going as far as possible, so I could give you time and let you watch a game,” the forward wrote on his @leomessi account.
“We reached the final, and you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it for you, to bring it home and show you a new one. I couldn’t. My legs had nothing left. This time, I tried to push through my physical limitations, but I couldn’t. I never felt right.”
Messi’s emotional message highlights the physical toll he endured throughout the 2026 World Cup. That could perhaps prove decisive when it comes to a potential retirement in the near future.
Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina walks off the pitch at half time.
Giving it everything despite his physical limitations
At 39 years old, Lionel Messi turned in a masterclass campaign at the 2026 World Cup, serving as the undisputed catalyst in Argentina‘s run to the championship match. Messi tallied 8 goals and 4 assists across 8 matches, directly contributing to 12 goals.
Though La Albiceleste fell short in a dramatic 1–0 extra-time loss to Spain in the final, Messi’s brilliance, reaffirmed his status as one of the most decisive forces on soccer’s biggest stage.
Will Lionel Messi play for Argentina again?
Argentina will close out the 2026 international calendar with two remaining FIFA match windows: a extended window scheduled from September 21 to October 6, followed by a two-match window running from November 9 to November 17.
As la Albiceleste prepare for these final international test fixtures of the year, all eyes remain on whether Lionel Messi will be present to suit up and feature in Lionel Scaloni’s squad for these upcoming commitments.
