Messi will decide when he retires, says Argentina FA chief

Retirement rumours surrounded Lionel Messi at last two World Cups, but Argentina FA chief says decision will be his.Published On 8 Aug 20268 Aug 2026Especially after witnessing what Lionel Messi ‌was still capable of at this summer’s World Cup, the president of the Argentine ⁠Football Association is ⁠not rushing the all-time great out the door.Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia said in an interview on Argentinian TV that Messi is the only person making the decision on when to ⁠hang up his boots.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Argentina and Mexico back Infantino, deepening FIFA divide: What to knowlist 2 of 4Infantino, FIFA try to move beyond botched World Cup sell-off: What we knowlist 3 of 4UEFA’s threatened legal action against Infantino and FIFA: What we knowlist 4 of 4UEFA confirms legal letter served to FIFA after Infantino’s World Cup planend of list“It’s a decision that is purely and personally his,” Tapia said. “You have to let him relax. In 2022, we didn’t know if ⁠he’d play in 2026. He said it was game by game, and I think we’ve seen a great version – if not the best – of Leo in a World Cup.“You have to let him keep enjoying playing football and after that he’ll make th...