Lionel Messi, the 39-year-old captain of Argentina, has no plans to end his international career anytime soon. According to journalist Fran Casaretto, citing sources close to the player, Messi intends to represent his national team through the 2028 Copa America, after which he will likely step away from the squad for good, reports infohub.kz.
Messi himself has not publicly confirmed these plans. The question of his future arose after the 2026 World Cup final, where Argentina failed to defend their title, losing 0-1 to Spain in extra time. For Messi, that match was his 34th at World Cups, a record in the tournament's history.
At the 2026 World Cup, Messi recorded eight goals and four assists, totaling 12 goal involvements. He finished second in the scoring race, behind Frenchman Kylian Mbappé, who netted ten goals.
In total, Messi has played in six World Cups. In 34 matches at the tournament, he has scored 21 goals and provided 12 assists, and in 2022 he led Argentina to the championship title.
After the 2026 World Cup, the player returned to Inter Miami. He took part in an MLS regular-season match against Columbus Crew, which ended 2-2. It was his first game for the club since the World Cup.
Messi's contract with Inter Miami runs through the end of the 2028 MLS season. The deal was extended in October 2025, so at the club level, his current contract allows him to continue his career for more than two additional seasons.