Lionel Messi drops huge retirement hint ahead of Argentina vs Spain | Football | Sport

Lionel Messi has dropped a major hint about his international future with Argentina, describing the World Cup final against Spain as the ‘last tango.’ The Argentine icon could follow the path taken by Cristiano Ronaldo, who announced his retirement from international football after Portugal’s round‑of‑16 exit.

On Sunday evening, Argentina will attempt to retain their title and secure back‑to‑back World Cup triumphs following their success in Qatar four years ago. At 39, Messi would be 43 by the time the 2030 tournament arrives – two years older than Ronaldo was while competing this summer.

Messi has been in outstanding form throughout the tournament, scoring eight goals and providing four assists in seven games. The only two matches in which he didn’t find the net were against Switzerland and England in the quarter‑finals and semi‑finals respectively – but he still recorded three assists across those games.

Taking to Instagram ahead of the match, Messi shared a picture of himself draped in an Argentina flag. He wrote: “What a journey we’re having together, @adidasfootball… with ‘The Last Tango’… Let’s go for the final, let’s go Argentina!!!”

The second slide showed a separate shot of Messi’s blue‑and‑white adidas boots, fittingly named ‘El Ultimo Tango’ (‘The Last Tango’)

‘El Ultimo Tango’ is an adidas collection released specifically for Messi, marking 20 years since his first World Cup in Germany in 2006. The adidas F50 boots bring Messi’s World Cup story full circle, with a white, sky‑blue and gold tribute built around legacy – but they could also be a subtle indication that he’s preparing to call time on his international career.

In a separate post, Messi shared a picture of the Argentina squad and staff, penning a heartfelt message. It read: “The most beautiful thing about all these years was never just the trophies, but the entire journey. Sharing the day‑to‑day with this group, competing together, getting back up in the difficult moments, and enjoying every step.

“Thank you to each one of my teammates, the coaching staff, and everyone who works every day so that this national team continues to feel like a family. Whatever happens tomorrow, this group has already written a story we will never forget — one that no one will ever be able to erase.”

Heading into the final, France star Kylian Mbappe leads the Golden Boot race with 22 goals to Messi’s 21. It’s set to go right down to the wire, and the Inter Miami forward would need at least two goals to guarantee finishing above Mbappe.

Argentina beat England 2-1 in the semi‑finals to set up a showdown with Spain, who stunned Mbappe’s France 2-0. Spain last lifted silverware in 2010.