Lautaro reveals a surprise regarding Messi's future

Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez revealed that the 2026 World Cup will be Lionel Messi's last, despite the Argentine star not having officially announced any decision regarding his international future. Martinez's comments came after Argentina's thrilling 3-2 victory over Egypt in the round of 16, where he spoke about Messi's crucial role within the team, emphasizing that all the players are striving to support him in their quest for the title. "Messi is amazing," Martinez said, "and I told him on the pitch that he deserves his high standing because of what he contributes to the team." He added, "We try to support him and give him our all because he is our captain, and because this is his last World Cup," a statement considered the first indication from one of his teammates that the current edition will be the Argentine star's final World Cup appearance. The match against Egypt saw Messi clearly struggle against the strong Egyptian defense, and he missed a penalty for the second time in the tournament, before regaining his influence by setting up Cristian Romero's goal and then scoring the equalizer with a powerful shot that brought Argentina back into the game. Messi appeared deeply moved after the final whistle, celebrating his country's qualification for the quarterfinals with great emotion, after Argentina had been on the verge of elimination. Argentina secured their place in the next round with a late goal from Enzo Fernandez, following a perfectly weighted cross from Lautaro Martinez. This victory keeps the defending champions' hopes alive for Messi to win his second World Cup title in his sixth appearance at the tournament.