Buenos Aires.- Two decades after its albiceleste debut, Lionel Messi He prepares to play his last game in Argentina by the South American qualifiers, in which he promises to be an emotions on Thursday before a Venezuela that does not give up registering in his first World Cup.
Just hours after the defeat of your team, Inter Miamiin the final of the Leagues Cupthe 38 -year -old star flew to Buenos Aires to join the world champions accompanied by his whole family and relatives.
With Argentina classified as the 2026 World Cup slack and the first place also insured, on Thursday night he promises tears to what is almost a certainty: against Venezuela, on the penultimate qualifying day, Messi will play his last official match in his country.
The eight -time Golden Ball, which is already the top historical scorer in Argentina (112 goals) and also the player with the most presences (193), has delayed goodbye that was presumed near after the consecration in the 2022 World Cup World Cup.
“The right to decide”
Although it has not confirmed it, it is expected that, if it arrives in good physical form, Messi will be in the appointment of the United States, Canada and Mexico 2026, in which he would turn 39 and would become the first footballer to participate in six World Cups.
“It will be a very special match (against Venezuela) for me because he is the last one of Qualifiers. I don’t know if later there will be friendly or more games. We will live it that way. Then I don’t know what will happen, but we go with that intention,” he said 10 recently.
Without friendly preparation confirmed at home for next year, everything seems to indicate that on Thursday Messi will begin to say goodbye to the affection of thousands of his compatriots, since he looks unlikely- although not impossible- a return to the qualifiers towards the 2030 World Cup.
In this context, he did not miss the almost 80,000 entries in the Monumental Stadium of Buenos Aires to attend the very likely farewell that many consider the best footballer in history.
The novel of a man who wrapped the albiceleste mantle for the first time in 2005 today is of joy, but he had huge sorrows.
“Ruin” the party
Thus, Argentina will receive Venezuela (23h30 GMT), which still has the possibility of playing its first World Cup and refuses to fulfill the role of partenaire at the armed party for Messi.
The Argentine coach of the Vinotinto, Fernando Batista, admitted the special party in statements to ESPN.
“I come to ruin it (the celebration) in good sense, we are playing the classification,” the Bocha anticipated.
After 16 days, Argentina sends in the South American qualifier with 35 points, 10 ahead of the Ecuador and Brazil escorts (25), while Venezuela (18) now occupies the seventh step, which would give the right to the play, but with Bolivia (17) on the prowl.
The Vinotinto, the only South American team that has never played a World Cup, will play its hope in Buenos Aires and in a crucial duel against Colombia on Tuesday in Maturín, while those of the Altiplano will visit the Coffee National Team this Thursday and close the qualifier against Brazil in El Alto.
