Zlatan Ibrahimovic Urges Lionel Messi to Keep Playing After Argentina’s World Cup Final Defeat

Former Sweden international Zlatan Ibrahimovic has urged Lionel Messi not to bring his international career to an end following Argentina’s defeat in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

Messi and the defending champions fell 1-0 to Spain on Sunday, ending their hopes of retaining the trophy they won in Qatar four years earlier. The defeat has fueled speculation that the 39-year-old may have played his final World Cup match.

Despite the disappointment, Ibrahimovic believes football still needs Messi and hopes the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner continues representing Argentina for as long as possible.

Speaking to Fox Sports after the final, the former Barcelona striker praised his ex-teammate and expressed the desire to see him remain on the international stage.

“I hope he can continue to play as much as possible, so we can enjoy him even more,” Ibrahimovic said.

“Will we see him in another World Cup? I don’t know, you never know. But we have enjoyed him, and we are happy that he plays the game because we are going to be very sad when he stops playing.”

Ibrahimovic and Messi briefly played together at Barcelona during the 2009/10 season before the Swedish striker departed for AC Milan.

Although Argentina fell short in the final, Messi once again demonstrated his enduring quality throughout the tournament. The veteran captain played a pivotal role in guiding La Albiceleste to a second consecutive World Cup final, further cementing his remarkable international legacy.

With the next FIFA World Cup scheduled for 2030, uncertainty remains over whether Messi will extend his international career, though his future has become one of football's biggest talking points following Spain's triumph.

Opinion

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's comments echo the feelings of many football fans around the world. Regardless of where one stands in the debate over the greatest player of all time, Lionel Messi has been one of the defining figures of modern football. While another World Cup appearance at 43 would be an extraordinary challenge, his continued presence in the game would benefit both Argentina and the sport as a whole. Ultimately, however, the decision should rest on whether Messi still has the desire and physical capacity to compete at the highest level.