SerpApi.Org
Lionel Messi walked off the MetLife Stadium pitch in tears on Sunday, a silver medal around his neck and, in all likelihood, his final World Cup behind him. His family watched every second of it, and one day later, his wife had something to say.
Antonela Roccuzzo posted an emotional tribute to Messi on Instagram Monday, sharing photos of a teary-eyed Messi on the field alongside a shot of his teammates lifting him into the air. The caption made clear that, for her, the story of Argentina’s 1-0 loss to Spain was never really about the scoreline.
“You will always be the best,” Roccuzzo wrote in Spanish, adding that Messi “never stopped being yourself” and always fights “until the very end.” It’s the kind of message that reads less like a consolation and more like a closing statement on a career.
Roccuzzo, 38, has known Messi since they were children in Rosario, and she has rarely been shy about celebrating his biggest moments publicly. This one carried more weight than most. Messi finished the tournament with eight goals, a number that ties him to his own World Cup history, but walked away without an individual award as Rodri claimed the Golden Ball and Kylian Mbappe took the Golden Boot in the third-place game.
Messi addressed the loss himself a day earlier, posting his own reflection on Instagram. “The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal,” he wrote, before pivoting to gratitude for a run that saw Argentina reach back-to-back World Cup finals.
That gratitude stood in sharp contrast to what unfolded on the field once the final whistle blew. Several Argentina players, including Leandro Paredes, were involved in physical confrontations with Spanish players as the celebrations began, and a member of Lionel Scaloni’s coaching staff was seen confronting a Spain player as tempers flared. FIFA has since opened an investigation into the post-match conduct.
None of that made it into Roccuzzo’s post. Her message stayed focused entirely on Messi, not the chaos that followed him off the pitch, and that distinction matters. While Argentina absorbed criticism for how the night ended, the Messi family’s version of the story was about perseverance, not controversy.
What Comes Next For Lionel Messi’s International Career
The scenes outside the stadium told their own story. Roccuzzo and the couple’s three sons, Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro, were escorted out of MetLife Stadium by security as fans and reporters closed in. Mateo was seen wiping away tears with his father’s kit still in hand.
Messi has not confirmed retirement from international football, but the signs point that direction. At 39, he would be 43 by the next World Cup, an age gap that makes another run difficult to imagine even for a player of his caliber. Whether he continues in friendlies or a Copa America appearance remains unclear.
What is clear is that Roccuzzo’s tribute wasn’t written for a moment. It read like a message meant to outlast the disappointment of one final, and if this truly was Messi’s last World Cup, it’s the version of the night his family wants remembered.
