Lionel Scaloni Makes Clear Statement on Lionel Messi's Retirement Timeline
Lionel Scaloni is not putting an expiry date on Lionel Messi's Argentina career. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected by many to be Messi's final appearance on the biggest stage, especially after he already completed his legacy by winning the trophy in 2022.
But the Argentina national team manager is not interested in deciding that for him. Scaloni made it clear that Messi has earned the right to choose his own timeline, and if he still feels ready to continue after this tournament, that decision will be his alone.
When asked about Messi's future, Scaloni said, "He will play until he wants to because we already know what he is and it is not surprising that he plays his sixth World Cup."
For Lionel Scaloni, Messi's greatest quality right now is not just his talent. It is the fact that he still competes like someone chasing his first major trophy.
Scaloni pointed to Messi's constant desire to win as the reason he continues to operate at such a high level. Even after everything he has achieved, Messi still gets frustrated by small mistakes, still demands more from himself, and still pushes the players around him. That mindset is why Argentina continue to lean on him so heavily.
"He continues to be the best because he always wants more," Scaloni said.
The Argentina manager also explained that handling Messi's minutes and fitness is a shared process. He does not simply make decisions for him from the outside. Instead, he checks in with Messi, listens to how he feels, and then decides what makes the most sense for the team.
Scaloni believes Messi's influence is so big that even when he is not physically perfect, he can still give Argentina something valuable. His presence alone changes games, lifts teammates, and forces opponents to react differently.
With Argentina preparing for their warm-up matches before the tournament begins, Messi's condition and role will remain one of the biggest storylines around the defending champions.
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This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 9:34 PM.