Messi likely closes World Cup career after 2026 final

A 2030 return would come at age 43.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 191 min read

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have most likely played their last World Cup matches for their countries 🥺 We were l Via @SportsCenter on X

What happened: Lionel Messi completed his sixth World Cup on Sunday, four years after winning the 2022 tournament. His World Cup career began in 2006.

Why it matters: The possible exit would close a 20-year run on soccer's biggest international stage. Messi moved to second on the all-time World Cup goals list during the 2026 tournament.

By the numbers: Messi appeared at six World Cups: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026.

What to watch: Attention turns to whether Messi remains available for his country's next international window.

Sources

@SportsCenter 2026-07-19T22:11:41.151598+00:00

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