Lionel Messi is reportedly considering an earlier retirement from professional football, with Footy Headlines claiming the 39-year-old could call time on his playing career as early as the end of 2026.
The report is based on an anonymous source described by Footy Headlines as reliable, but the outlet stresses that the information has not been 100% confirmed. Messi’s Inter Miami contract currently runs through the 2028 season.
Messi has already announced his retirement from international football following Argentina’s 2026 World Cup campaign. He also recently spoke about having doubts over how much longer he would continue playing football following the death of his father.
For now, there is no official confirmation that Messi will retire at the end of 2026. But if the report proves true, the football world could be much closer to saying goodbye to its iconic No.10 than expected.
