Messi's career approaching its end “The moment is near,” he says

Argentina captain Lionel Messi commented on the possibility of ending his career after the 3–0 victory over Venezuela in the 17th round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

His words were shared on the national team’s official X account, Caliber.Az reports.

🏆 #Eliminatorias

🎙 Lionel Messi: "No quiero que se termine nunca, pero soy consciente de que el momento se acerca. Se dará cuando se tenga que dar, mientras tanto voy paso a paso, viviendo el día a día". pic.twitter.com/1iB2EMnNtI

— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) September 5, 2025

“I don’t want this to ever end, but I understand that the moment is approaching. It will happen when it’s meant to happen. For now, everything goes step by step—I live in the present,” Messi said.

The footballer added that he hopes to finish the year well and have a productive preseason. He also shared his emotions about the match: “At the start, I was very excited—the anthem, my children… so many thoughts went through my mind. It was a very beautiful and special day for me.”

By Khagan Isayev