Lionel Messi is preparing for an emotional farewell to World Cup qualifying football when Argentina face Venezuela in Buenos Aires on Thursday night.
Messi, 38-year-old captain, who has already secured his nation’s spot at the 2026 finals, confirmed it will be his last qualifier. Family members, including his wife, children and parents, are set to be in attendance at the Monumental Stadium for what he described as “a very special match.”
Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni urged fans to savour the moment: “If it really is the last qualifying match, we have to enjoy it. It’s going to be emotional, special and beautiful.”
While Argentina top the South American table with 35 points, the race for the remaining three automatic spots is still wide open. Ecuador and Brazil are through with 25 points apiece, leaving Uruguay, Paraguay and Colombia locked in a tight battle with Venezuela still in contention for their first ever World Cup place.
Ecuador’s recovery from a points deduction and Colombia’s historic win over Brazil have lit up the campaign, while Brazil endured turmoil after a 4–1 loss to Argentina cost Dorival Junior his job, paving the way for Carlo Ancelotti’s debut. Uruguay, meanwhile, said goodbye to Luis Suárez following his retirement in 2024.
Thursday’s fixtures will be decisive: Paraguay meet Ecuador, Uruguay host Peru, Colombia face Bolivia, Brazil take on Chile and Argentina close the night against Venezuela. If the dust doesn’t settle, the final matchday on Tuesday will decide South America’s last automatic qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
