For Lionel Messi, September 2025 will mark the closing of a chapter. Argentina’s captain is set to play his final CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying matches, facing Venezuela in Buenos Aires on September 4 and Ecuador in Quito on September 9. Already the all-time top scorer in South American qualifiers, Messi is now on the verge of one more record: becoming the player with the most appearances in the competition’s history.
Messi enters these matches with 71 qualifying games, just one shy of Ecuadorian legend Iván Hurtado’s record of 72. If head coach Lionel Scaloni gives him minutes in both fixtures, Messi will stand alone as the all-time appearance leader in the most grueling qualification tournament in world football.
In an emotional interview, Messi acknowledged the weight of the moment. “Yes, it will be special, very special for me because it’s my last qualifiers. I don’t know if there will be friendlies or more games afterward, but this one is unique, and that’s why my family will be there with me. My wife, my kids, my parents, my brothers—everyone who can come will be there. We’ll live it that way. After that, I don’t know what comes next, but that’s our intention.”
The match against Venezuela at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental is set to be more than a game; it will be a celebration of Messi’s journey with Argentina. With over 85,000 fans expected, it promises to be a night of gratitude for the man who ended decades of heartbreak by leading Argentina to the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Scaloni’s support and praise
Head coach Lionel Scaloni has been outspoken about ensuring Messi receives the farewell he deserves. “Let’s enjoy him while we still have him. Whatever happens will happen. He earned the right to decide when to stop, and from us, he will have full support.”
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Scaloni even compared Messi’s longevity to that of Cristiano Ronaldo, noting how both icons maintained peak performance well into their late 30s thanks to discipline and professionalism. “The greats are like that—Messi and Cristiano both. They built careers worthy of their talent, and that’s why they are still here.”
Closing the circle in Quito
There is also poetic symmetry to Messi’s final qualifier being played in Quito. It was there, in 2017, that Messi scored a dramatic hat trick against Ecuador to save Argentina’s World Cup hopes. Now, eight years later, he may close the circle in the same city, this time already qualified but chasing history.
For Messi and Argentina, these matches are not just about points—they are about legacy. The qualifiers that tested him more than any tournament will now serve as the stage for one final record, one last ovation, and a farewell worthy of the greatest player of his generation.
