At 9 PM Beijing time on July 19th, Messi will face Spain at the Metropolitan Life Stadium in New York for a place in the 2026 World Cup final. This is also the same stadium where he announced his retirement from the national team 10 years ago.
"My national team career is over for me. This is my fourth loss in a final, and it's not for me." On June 26, 2016, at Metropolitan Life Stadium in New York, Messi's words sent a chill down the spines of fans worldwide. That very day, he had just missed a penalty in the Copa America final against Chile, a team that included Alexis Sanchez and his teammates.
That was his fourth major final loss, following defeats to Brazil in the 2007 Copa America final and Chile in 2015, as well as a defeat to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final. However, after this shocking statement, the Argentine star returned to the national team just two months later, being re-selected in August 2016. Without explanation or apology, he simply accepted the call-up, continued to fight for the jersey, withstood the pressure, and responded to the fans' enthusiasm. At that time, he had only one goal in mind: to help Argentina secure a ticket to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Metropolitan Life Stadium: A turning point in Messi's national team career.
Simply put, since making those remarks in the mixed zone in June 2016, Messi hasn't lost a single final. As captain of Argentina, he led the team to the 2018 World Cup, but knew the team couldn't go far, and Argentina was subsequently eliminated in the Round of 16 by eventual world champions France. The former Barcelona star then seemed to carry the burden of defeat on his own shoulders, becoming even stronger afterward. He first defeated the hosts in Brazil to win his first major international title – the 2021 Copa America – 1-0. Then, he went on to defeat the 2021 European champions Italy 3-0 in the 2022 final to win the Europa League.
Then comes the coronation moment. It's the trophy every player dreams of lifting, the one that elevates a great player to legendary status, placing them alongside Maradona or Pelé. In the 2022 World Cup final, Argentina defeated France in a penalty shootout, with Messi leaving his mark with a brace. He then went on to reap numerous accolades, including the 2024 Copa America.
For Argentina, his 11th final for the national team will be against Spain in this 2026 World Cup. This is also a rematch of the European Championship, originally scheduled for March of this year but later cancelled. The 39-year-old Messi may well play his final match for the national team at the Metropolitan Life Stadium in New York, just as he announced 10 years ago.
