Lionel Messi’s future with the Argentina national team remains surrounded by questions following La Albiceleste’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Although the captain has yet to publicly announce a final decision, speculation about a possible farewell from international football has continued to grow. Against that backdrop, Ángel Di María made it clear what he believes his former teammate’s next step should be.

Di María backs Messi’s continuation

The winger believes the decision should belong exclusively to Messi and insisted that, despite being 39 years old, the captain still has what it takes to compete at the highest level.

“Leo has to continue for as long as he wants. I think he can keep going for many more years. At 39, he showed that he is one of the best and that he can continue being one of the greatest in history,” Di María said.

The former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain player also stated that his former teammate “has no limits”, making it clear that he does not believe Messi’s time with La Albiceleste should come to an end anytime soon.

Questions after the 2026 World Cup

Di María’s comments come after Leandro Paredes revealed that Messi had approached the 2026 World Cup final as though it could be his last match for Argentina.

La Albiceleste once again reached the title decider but ultimately fell to Spain. Despite the defeat, Messi once again played a key role throughout the tournament and led the team to a second consecutive World Cup final.

For now, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has not confirmed whether he will continue representing his country, leaving his future open.

Pride in the journey

The Rosario Central player also reflected on the national team’s achievements in recent years and praised the effort made by his former teammates at the World Cup.

Di María said he experienced every Argentina match intensely and acknowledged that the defeat in the final was painful. However, he maintained that the squad once again represented the country with pride.

“Finals are finals. Sometimes you win them and sometimes you don’t. This time it was not meant to be for us, but I believe the boys represented the national team very well,” he concluded.