Could this have been Lionel Messi's (39, Inter Miami) last home match for Argentina? The tears said a lot. Lionel Scaloni (48) said he would leave all decisions up to Messi himself.
On the 1st (all times Korean time), Argentina beat Zambia 5-0 in a friendly at La Bombonera, their home stadium in La Boca, Buenos Aires. More than the result, Messi's expression drew attention.
German magazine Kicker reported on the 2nd that Messi could not hold back tears even before the match. Argentine fans felt he might have played his last home game in the national team jersey, it said.
Messi was visibly overcome with emotion from the moment the national anthem began to play. He reddened around the eyes and tried to hold back tears. Argentine local media interpreted this as a "signal of Messi's last home game."
The match was even more special. The venue was La Bombonera, a symbol of Argentine football. As the home stadium of Boca Juniors, it is currently undergoing renovation work, and Messi taking the field here as the national team captain carried even greater meaning.
Messi started the match wearing the captain's armband. His presence was still overwhelming. While the team led 1-0, he added another goal. It was his 198th match in A internationals and his 116th goal for the national team.
After the match, La Bombonera became entirely Messi's stage. The Argentina squad, having won 5-0, paraded around the stadium amid the fans' roaring cheers. Messi also waved his hand and greeted the fans.
Nicolas Otamendi said after the match, "We are going to the World Cup to defend the title. As Messi said, the fans must believe in us. We are a team capable of that."
The biggest question is whether Messi will participate in the World Cup. Messi is now 38. The 2026 CONCACAF World Cup is very likely to be his last World Cup.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said he would leave the decision to Messi. He said, "If Messi wants to come, that would be another honor for us."
He added, "We always feel that Messi wants to be with the national team. We hope he joins the World Cup and that we can all enjoy that moment."
Argentina must submit a preliminary 55-man roster to FIFA by the 11th. The final 26-man roster will be confirmed by the 30th. Based on the current atmosphere, the possibility that Messi's name will be included is very high.
It would be more surprising if Messi himself gave up his last World Cup opportunity.
Argentina will face Algeria, Austria and Jordan in the group stage of the CONCACAF World Cup. If they finish first in the group to advance to the round of 16, and if Germany follows a similar path, a rematch of the 2014 Brazil World Cup final could be possible.
If that day truly was Messi's last home match for Argentina, he said goodbye in a manner befitting himself. He shed tears, scored a goal and left the stadium amid the fans' cheers.
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