"Ask Him", Says Scaloni As He Didn't Answer Over Messi Retirement Rumours

Questions about Lionel Messi's future dominated Argentina's pre-final media session, but coach Lionel Scaloni offered no clues over whether the World Cup final against Spain could be the captain's final appearance for the national team. Instead, Scaloni refuses to predict Messi's retirement, insisting the decision belongs entirely to Messi.

The Argentina manager dismissed repeated attempts to discuss the 39-year-old's plans beyond the tournament, saying he has not been told what the captain intends to do after the final.

"What do I know? Ask him," Scaloni said with a chuckle. "I don’t have the faintest idea, to be honest. He doesn’t stop surprising us."

The uncertainty has become one of the biggest talking points before Sunday's final, with Messi approaching another career milestone after leading Argentina into another title decider. However, Scaloni made it clear that speculation over retirement has not influenced the team's preparations.

Instead of discussing individual futures, the coach chose to reflect on what the current Argentina squad has achieved together during the past few years. He said the group had consistently met the demands of international football and deserved recognition regardless of the outcome of the final.

"It's very difficult to do this. They've achieved things that back in the day were totally unthinkable. I told them yesterday that they had done something unbelievable and that I was deeply thankful," he admitted.

For Scaloni, the priority remains the final match rather than decisions that may follow it. The coach believes conversations about Messi's international career can wait until after the tournament concludes.

The captain heads into the final in strong form after producing another influential World Cup campaign. Messi has scored eight goals and registered four assists, including a decisive contribution in Argentina's semi-final victory over England, helping the defending champions move within one win of another world title.

Whether that success is followed by another chapter in his international career or a farewell will only become clear once the tournament is over. Until then, Argentina's camp remains focused solely on the challenge posed by Spain.