Argentina superstar Lionel Messi, one of the greatest footballers to play the game, has hinted that he may soon retire from the sport after the death of his father.

The 39-year-old, who was part of the Argentina side that was defeated by Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, rose to the top of the game from the youth ranks at Spanish club Barcelona.

After his country’s loss to Spain in July in New Jersey at the World Cup, Messi returned to play domestic football in the United States with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami.

The forward was forced to cut short his return after the death of his father, Jorge Messi, at the age of 68 this past weekend, and he announced on Wednesday that his playing days may now be coming to an end.

“All I ever did was play football, and now I have serious doubts about whether I’ll keep doing it for much longer,” Messi posted on the social media platform Instagram.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you. I don’t know how to carry on.

“You were by my side from the very beginning; there was so little left until the end. Why couldn’t you hold on just a little longer so we could finish it together?”

Messi, whose father was also his agent, is still under contract with Miami until the end of the 2028 season, but following Argentina’s failure to defend the title they won at Qatar 2022 – Messi’s first World Cup trophy – it was rumoured the forward may soon hang up his boots.

In his message, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star also reflected on the final months of his father’s life, which coincided with the World Cup.

“I kept telling you we would reach the final so you could make the trip,” said Messi, who returned to the US on Tuesday night following his father’s funeral on Sunday.

“We made it to the final, but you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it to bring it to you and show you a new one. I couldn’t, my legs just gave out.

“This time I tried to push past my physical limits, but I couldn’t. I never felt right,” Messi said in his first comments after the 1-0 defeat by Spain.

Messi also highlighted his father’s pivotal role in his life and career: “You were a father, a friend, and an agent. You were always exactly who you needed to be in every moment, and you never put a foot wrong.”

Jorge Messi’s unusual absence from the World Cup in June had already attracted attention.

Messi’s family asked the media for “humanity” during the tournament amid persistent rumours over Jorge’s health.

After bursting into tears after scoring against Algeria in a group match, Messi had admitted to dealing with “a situation outside of sports”.

Messi, who was his country’s captain at the World Cup, also revealed that one of the main reasons he appeared at the last edition was because it was his father’s wish.

“You always asked me to play in the last World Cup and a few days before it started was when you got worse,” Messi said.

“It was the first time you weren’t going to be at a ⁠tournament … Every time a match ended, I would wait and hope for ⁠your message. That’s when I realised how real the situation was.”

On Sunday, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner bid farewell to his father during a private ceremony with close family and a few Argentina teammates in the town of Perez, adjacent to Rosario.

The cause of death was not disclosed, but local media reported that Jorge Messi had been suffering from cancer.

Despite his grief, Messi pledged to honour his father’s memory through parenting his own children.

“I’m going to miss ‌you ‌so much, but you will always be present, especially in the upbringing of my children, because I will teach them and raise them the way you raised me,” he said. (Al Jazeera)

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“FIFA favours Argentina”, “World Cup is rigged”, “FIFA wants Lionel Messi to go far” have been common phrases heard from the mouths of different people since the 2026 World Cup started. 

It all began with Lionel Messi’s studs-up challenge against an Algerian player, while the VAR decisions in games involving Egypt and Switzerland further fuelled the ‘fixing’ accusations on FIFA, with many suggesting that Argentina are overwhelmingly being protected by the sport’s governing body.

Breaking his silence on the accusations, Messi has hit back at critics, asserting that reaching a second consecutive World Cup final proves his side is among the best in the world and that their success is “not by chance.” 

Argentina looked on the cusp of elimination from the World Cup as they came up against England in the semi-final on Wednesday. But, as has been the case in multiple Argentina matches this World Cup, the defending champions produced another heroic comeback. Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, with the help of two Messi assists, struck the late goals in a dramatic turnaround in Atlanta after Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute goal to take Argentina closer to retaining their world crown.

Argentina’s journey to defend their title has been filled with controversies as referees made several debatable calls that seemed to favour them. But Messi completely dismissed the claims that the tournament was biased in their favour.

“It hurts whoever it hurts… We’ve been the best for the last four years, whether people like it or not, no matter what they say. Once again, we’re among the two best in the world, and that shows that everything we’ve done isn’t by chance and nobody gave us anything. Reaching two consecutive World Cup finals is something few achieve, and this group did it,” the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner stated, taking a clear jab at the critics.

“If we had lost to England, people would have come out and said some nonsense, and we didn’t give them the chance. We knew that we were better than them in terms of football , but a lot is at stake in a match of this magnitude, where historic events happen in these games,” he added.

Messi also dedicated the win to the legendary Diego Maradona, who had famously headlined the clash between Argentina and the Three Lions in the World Cup quarter-final 40 years ago.

“Without a doubt, Diego is enjoying this immensely from up there because today was a very special day for him; to be able to give him this joy and for him to experience it however he wants from up there. Let him enjoy it because it’s a gift for him too,” he concluded. (NDTV Sports / IANS)

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Argentina captain Lionel Messi has added four more Guinness World Records to his name following his latest appearance at the FIFA World Cup.

In a post on social media, Guinness World Records said Messi broke four records in a single day, further cementing his place among football’s greatest players.

According to Guinness World Records, Messi now holds the record for the most FIFA World Cup goals scored by a football player with 18 goals.

He has also set new records for the most FIFA World Cup matches played by an individual (28), the most World Cup matches won by a player (18), and the most minutes played in FIFA World Cup history (2,489).

“We are witnessing history,” Guinness World Records said while highlighting the latest milestones achieved by the Argentine star.

The records add to an already remarkable career for Messi, who has won multiple Ballon d’Or awards, lifted the FIFA World Cup with Argentina, and continues to rewrite football’s record books at the age of 39.

His latest achievements come as Argentina continue their campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Messi once again playing a central role for the defending world champions. (Newswire)

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Lionel Messi’s father is undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness and his family asked the media for “humanity” on Thursday amid rumors about Jorge Messi’s health while his son competes at the World Cup.

“Jorge is going through a health situation,” the Messi family said in a statement.

The family did not specify the illness that the 68-year-old Jorge Messi is suffering from.

“He is currently under medical observation, recovering and progressing favorably within his current condition,” the statement said.

Messi said after Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in the team’s opening World Cup match that he was going through a difficult personal situation. He did not elaborate.

The family statement, released by Messi’s media office, came on the same day that reports of Jorge Messi’s death circulated in Argentina.

“At times like these, we ask for responsibility, prudence and humanity,” the family said. “A person’s health and the peace of mind of their loved ones should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media interest.”

The statement said any further developments would be communicated by the family. (Fox/ AP)

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The highly anticipated GOAT Tour featuring Argentina football legend Lionel Messi is just around the corner, and excitement among fans in India knows no bounds. 

Messi will visit India on December 13, 14, and 15, covering four cities during his jam-packed schedule. The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner will travel to Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi, participating in several events. 

Before concluding his India tour, Messi will arrive in the national capital, where he is reportedly scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Joining Messi on the tour will be his long-time strike partner, Luis Suarez and Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul. They will be part of the Mumbai leg of the tour, according to Satadru Dutta, the sole promoter of the ‘G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025’, as per a PTI report.

Here’s the full schedule of Messi’s GOAT Tour:

• December 13, Kolkata

1:30 am: Arrival in Kolkata

9:30 am to 10:30 am: Meet-and-greet programme

10:30 am to 11:15 am: Virtual inauguration of Messi’s statue

11:15 am to 11:25 am: Arrival at Yuva Bharati

11:30 am: Shah Rukh Khan arrives at Yuva Bharati

12:00 pm: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Sourav Ganguly arrive at the stadium

12:00 pm to 12:30 pm: Friendly match, felicitation and interaction

2:00 pm: Departure for Hyderabad

• December 13, Hyderabad

7:00 pm: 7v7 match at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium featuring Messi and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy

The evening will also include a musical concert celebrating Messi

• December 14, Mumbai

3:30 pm: Participation in the Padel Cup at the Cricket Club of India

4:00 pm: Celebrity football match

5:00 pm: Event at Wankhede Stadium followed by a charity fashion show

• December 15, New Delhi

Meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

1:30 pm: Event at Arun Jaitley Stadium, including the felicitation of Minerva Academy players

• Ticket Price

The tickets for Messi’s GOAT Tour are being sold on the District app. Ticket prices start at around Rs 4,500 in most cities. However, the tickets for the Mumbai leg start from Rs 8,250.

Messi’s India visit, his first since 2011, when he played a friendly for Argentina against Venezuela in Kolkata, received its final seal of approval on August 15.

Dutta had met Messi’s father, who is also his agent, before securing the deal, and then held a 45-minute meeting with the football legend at his home on February 28. (NDTV Sports)

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Lionel Messi, the Argentina and Inter Miami football icon, may make his cricket debut during a visit to India on December 14, 2025.

According to a news report, an event management company has requested the Mumbai Cricket Association to reserve Wankhede Stadium for a seven-a-side cricket match featuring Messi alongside Indian cricket stars like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Sachin Tendulkar. 

An MCA source confirmed, “Messi will be at Wankhede on December 14, likely playing a cricket match with former and current cricketers. The organizers will share a detailed schedule once finalized.” 

Messi’s India tour will also include stops in New Delhi and Kolkata. This marks his second visit to India, following his 2011 trip with the Argentine national team for a friendly against Venezuela at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium. (Deccan Chronicle)

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