Messi struggles to contain emotions ahead of final competitive game in Argentina

Argentina and Barcelona legend Lionel Messi struggled to contain his emotions on what was his final competitive appearance on home soil. Messi himself confirmed that it would be so, and he received a rapturous response from the home crowd at El Monumental in Buenos Aires.

Ahead of the game, it was billed as Messi’s last game in Argentina, and he did not disappoint. During a comfortable 3-0 win over Venezuela, Messi grabbed a brace to crown the occasion. The Albiceleste were already qualified in top spot from the South American qualifiers.

Already during the warm-up, the home crowd were keen to show their appreciation for their captain. He was playing his 193rd game for Argentina, 20 years after his first, and struggled to hold back the emotions. During that time he has managed a remarkable 114 goals and 61 assists. He is by a distance (of 64 to Gabriel Batistuta) the leading goalscorer in their history, and their most capped player (by a distance of 47 from Javier Mascherano, now his manager at Inter Miami).

After the game, the crowd waited behind in the stadium to give Messi a send off, which equally had some memories for the 38-year-old to save away.

Messi was joined by his three children as mascots, with partner Antonella Rocuzzo and his family in the stands.

Perhaps the headline news, beyond the occasion, was the potential absence of Messi from the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Many had taken it as a given that if Messi were fit, then he would be present for a final tournament next year, but Messi explained that it was more probable that he was not representing Argentina next summer.