'GOAT' Lionel Messi (38, Inter Miami) shed hot tears.
Messi wore the Argentine national team uniform and actually played his last home A match. Messi started in the 17th round of the 2026 North-China World Cup South American qualifying round against Venezuela at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina on the 5th (Korea time) and played full time.
Messi was the hero of the match. Argentina secured the top spot in the South American qualifiers early on. It won a ticket to the North-China-U.S. finals. Winning and losing on this day didn't mean much. But it was different for Messi. It was the last game in front of the fans of his home country wearing the national team uniform. Argentina, which is trying to win its second consecutive World Cup title, will switch to the finals system from now on, and all the remaining warm-up matches will be held abroad.
"It's a very special game, so the family will be together," he told Apple TV last week. Everyone who can come, including my wife, my children, my parents, my siblings, my wife's entire family, will be together. "We're going to experience this game together like that. "I don't know what's going to happen after that. But that's our idea.' In fact, it is a declaration of farewell.
With Messi's name chanted, Messi's eyes were moist even before the game. Messi entered the game with his three sons. In a game that could be a farewell match, Messi showed his best play to home fans. He scored the first goal and the net. Messi, who opened by connecting Julian Alvarez's pass with a sensational chip shot in the 39th minute of the first half, sealed the game by finishing Thiago Almada's pass in the 35th minute of the second half.
Messi was selected as the MOM of the match. Messi recorded an 89% pass success rate, 4 chances creation, 4 effective shots, 27% dribble success rate, 10 final third passes, and 88% long pass success rate in 90 minutes. Footmob gave him a 9.3 rating, the highest in the team.
Messi, who shed tears after the game, said "It's always been my dream to be able to finish here like this today. In Argentina, it is always a pleasure to play with our people. I've experienced a lot over the years. I'm very happy." Then "I received a lot of affection in Barcelona, and I wanted to achieve that dream with my people in my country. There's been a lot of talk over the years, but I'll only remember all the good things"I promised.
He declined to say whether he would play in the North Korea-China World Cup. Messi said "I think it's logically difficult when you look at his age. However, he has yet to decide whether to participate in the World Cup or not. I will feel and judge honestly every day by looking at my physical condition. At the end of the season, the pre-season is approaching and there are six months left. It remains to be seen what my condition will be like. I don't want to run when I think my body doesn't follow me. We will make the final decision later."
Messi made his A-match debut against Hungary in August 2005. The substitute was sent off just 44 seconds later. It was a bad start, but Messi wrote a lot of history while playing for the Argentine national team. He scored 114 goals in 194 games. Messi is responsible for both the most appearances and most goals in Argentina's history. Messi, unlike the club, failed to lift the trophy for the national team. However, Messi, who won his first title in Copa America in 2021, finally lifted the Jules Rimet Cup with a one-man show at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In name and reality, it has made its position clear as 'GOAT'. He won the Copa Tournament in 2024 and succeeded in winning three consecutive majors.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
