That pain of 10 years ago and the return of Messi. (Photo- PTI)
Lionel Messi returns to MetLife Stadium: In the year 2016, the same ground on which Lionel Messi shed tears and said goodbye to international football with a heavy heart, exactly a decade later, the same ground is ready to witness another historic success of his. In the final match of FIFA World Cup 2026, Argentina captain Lionel Messi will take the field against Spain with the intention of winning the second consecutive World Cup title. This match is to be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. 10 years ago, he suddenly retired after a defeat on the same ground.
That pain of 10 years ago and Messi’s comeback
This story is from the year 2016, when Argentina had to face defeat in the final of Copa America in the same MetLife Stadium. At that time, 29-year-old Messi was so broken that he announced his retirement from international football, saying that I did as much as I could. By that time, Messi had every major award in club football and individually in the world, but after the defeat in three Copa America finals and the 2014 World Cup final, it seemed that he would never be able to win any major international title in his country’s jersey. However, the love of the fans and the entire country convinced him to wear the Argentina jersey again.
Now Messi will play the final on the same ground
The debate about the best player in the world of football will always go on, but on a big stage like the World Cup, if we want to see the impact of any one player on his team like Pele or Diego Maradona, then in today’s era only Lionel Messi’s name comes to the fore. While the Spain team, which is going to face Argentina in the final, is known for its excellent team combination and collective play, Messi has been at the center of every success for Argentina in the last five years. If Lionel Messi’s team is successful in winning the trophy, Argentina will become the first team since 1962 to win two consecutive World Cups. This feat was last achieved by Brazil.
It has always been difficult to make any predictions about Lionel Messi’s future, but if Argentina becomes world champion for the fourth time on Sunday, it will be the golden chapter of his unmatched career. This great player, who has played 206 matches for Argentina in 21 years, has not yet given any indication of retiring from international football. But one thing is completely clear, after what Messi has given to football, it should be entirely his decision as to how long he wants to spread magic on the field. At the same time, the contract of 39-year-old Messi, playing for Inter Miami in the American League (MLS), is till 2028.
