IS LIONEL MESSI RETIRING AFTER THE WORLD CUP? WHAT ARGENTINA STAR HAS SAID
Not today.
Lionel Messi extended his international soccer career by at least one more match, adding to his legacy with two assists in Argentina's 2-1 comeback win over England in their July 15 World Cup semifinal.
On July 19, Messi and Argentina will officially defend their 2022 World Cup win against Spain in what could be the final World Cup match in the Argentine attacker's storied career.
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But is Messi retiring after this World Cup is finished? Both Argentine soccer fans and Inter Miami supporters want to know what's in store for the 39-year-old soccer legend. Here's what we know.
Is this Lionel Messi's last World Cup?
Although Messi has not officially announced that this World Cup, his sixth overall, will be his last, he has openly discussed the realities of his age and the challenges that come with it.
Now 39, he has emphasized a "day-to-day" mindset, making no promises about his future with the national team.
Lionel Messi Inter Miami contract
Messi's contract with Inter Miami of the MLS has him signed through 2028. He is the highest-paid player in the league, per previous USA TODAY reporting.
USA TODAY at the 2026 World Cup
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All games are being broadcast in the United States on Fox and FS1. Matches will also be broadcast in Spanish throughout the entirety of the World Cup on Telemundo and streaming on Peacock.
World Cup knockout round format
The World Cup becomes a single-elimination tournament once the knockout stage begins. The 32 remaining teams have been placed into a bracket, and the field will halve itself during each ensuing round of the tournament until a winner is crowned.
The lone exception is that the two semifinal losers will play in a third-place game ahead of the World Cup final.
World Cup knockout stage bracket, matchups, schedule
Round of 16
- July 4: France def Paraguay - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
- July 4: Morocco def Canada - Houston
- July 5: Norway def Brazil - East Rutherford
- July 5: England def Mexico - Mexico City
- July 6: Spain def Portugal - Arlington
- July 6: Belgium def USA - Seattle
- July 7: Argentina def Egypt - Atlanta
- July 7: Switzerland def Colombia - Vancouver
Quarterfinals
- July 9: France def Morocco - Foxborough
- July 10: Spain def Belgium - Inglewood
- July 11: England def England - Miami
- July 11: Argentina def Switzerland - Kansas City
Semifinals
- July 14: France vs. Spain - Arlington
- July 15: England vs. Argentina - Atlanta
Final
- July 19: Spain vs. Argentina at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Lionel Messi retiring after the World Cup? What Argentina star has said
2026-07-15T21:45:59Z
