The news of Lionel Messi's retirement from Argentina's national football team did not come as a surprise to the Albiceleste or the nation, but the departure of the side's captain, star player and all-time leading goalscorer represents a huge blow to the future of the World Cup runners-up.
The 39-year-old star's farewell coincides with doubts over the future of coach Lionel Scaloni and several key players, including goalkeeper Emiliano 'Dibu' Martínez.
For 21 years, the number 10's career was intertwined with the light-blue and white shirt, after early setbacks followed by glory in the latter stages of his career.
But his departure leaves a void that the three-time world champions will have to come to terms with, perhaps comparable to the one created more than three decades ago by Diego Maradona's departure.
"I gave everything I had, I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some very good young players coming through who deserve to be there," Messi said when announcing his farewell to the national team.
'La Pulga' shone right up to the end, producing an unforgettable performance at the 2026 World Cup in North America, where he scored eight goals and played a decisive role, leading Argentina to the final on July 19, where they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain.
"The feeling that has taken hold of all of us is: 'And now, how do we go on?' It wasn't just anyone who left. It was our pride, the man everyone admired," sports journalist Hugo Balassone wrote for TyC Sports on Monday.
"The Argentina national team becomes a little more ordinary without him. We will have to rebuild it because it is a heavyweight brand, because it carries an immense badge and there is a history to defend. But imagining it without Messi is very difficult," he added.
Starting again
The Albiceleste must now embark on a new path, but there are several questions to resolve.
Coach Lionel Scaloni, the architect of the national team's golden era, has left the door more than open to his departure when his contract expires at the end of 2026.
The 48-year-old coach has the unequivocal backing of players, officials and fans to continue, but has said he needs to reflect on his future.
"I don't know if something this great can be done again," he said after losing the final to Spain.
The situation is significant: if he stays, he will have to rebuild a national team that will no longer revolve around Messi and will also be without vice-captain Nicolás Otamendi, the centre-back who retired from international football after the World Cup.
Scaloni is likely to communicate his decision to Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), in the coming weeks. If he decides not to continue, 'Chiqui' will have around four months to find a replacement.
For now, Argentina have no friendlies confirmed for the next international window, which begins in three weeks, although the AFA's intention is to pay tribute to Messi in front of his home crowd.
Scaloni, or whoever succeeds him, will have to make further changes to a squad that has won everything: the World Cup in 2022, Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024 and the 2022 Finalissima.
A team to rebuild
Some players have reached the end of their international careers because of their age and prospects for the 2030 World Cup, physical problems or performances that fell short of expectations.
Midfielder Leandro Paredes, 32, cast doubt on his future in an interview with local broadcaster TN on Tuesday: "With him [Messi] not being there, it will be difficult for everything to keep working in the same way."
Paredes has been slapped with a 10-match international game ban by FIFA for his behaviour after the loss to Spain at the last World Cup, a factor that could also weight on his decision.
'Dibu' Martínez, 33, recently raised questions about his future too, saying: "There are a lot of things to reflect on and we have to see how we move forward and whether now is the time to step aside."
Argentina will have to play several matches without key players, with Paredes, Nahuel Molina and Thiago Almada facing suspensions following incidents involving Spain players.
The team have already qualified for the next World Cup as one of the host nations (Argentina will host part of the group stage of the tournament, which will in the main be hosted by Spain and Morocco). As the number of participating teams has yet to be settled, it also remains to be decided whether they will take part in South American qualifiers.
Against this backdrop of unanswered questions, heightened by the absence of their emblematic player, Argentina face decisive weeks in the near future. They will surely be looking towards a new era, led by players such as Cristian Romero, Enzo Fernández and Julián Álvarez.
"There are more than a dozen players who featured at the last World Cup, with the desire and the age to keep moving forward, carrying the Albiceleste banner that unites us," sports writer Alejandro Fabbri wrote in a column for TyC Sports.
– TIMES/AFP
Comments