Lionel Messi is preparing for his final World Cup qualifier as Argentina host Venezuela at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires on Thursday. The 38-year-old captain, who has already secured a place at the 2026 tournament with Argentina, described the occasion as “very special,” with his family set to be in attendance.
“It’s going to be my last qualifying match. I don’t know if there will be friendlies or more matches after that,” said the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. Coach Lionel Scaloni added: “If it really is the last qualifying match, we have to enjoy it. It will be emotional and beautiful.”
Argentina lead the South American standings with 35 points, while Ecuador and Brazil have also booked their places with 25 points. Uruguay and Paraguay sit on 24 points, Colombia on 22, and Venezuela remain in contention with 18 as they pursue a historic first World Cup appearance.
This qualifying cycle has been full of drama, including Colombia’s first-ever win over Brazil, Uruguay bidding farewell to Luis Suarez, and Ecuador overcoming a points deduction to secure qualification. Brazil, meanwhile, endured a turbulent campaign, changing coaches after a heavy loss to Argentina.
Thursday’s fixtures will be decisive, with Paraguay facing Ecuador, Uruguay taking on Peru, Colombia meeting Bolivia, Brazil hosting Chile, and Argentina celebrating Messi’s farewell against Venezuela. If spots remain undecided, the final round on September 9 will determine the last automatic qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
