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| Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their third goal, Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 4, 2025. — Reuters |
Messi Delivers in Final Home Qualifier; Paraguay and Colombia Secure World Cup Spots.
In an emotional final home qualifier, Lionel Messi scores twice as Argentina dominate Venezuela. Paraguay and Colombia also clinch places for the 2026 World Cup with vital wins.
Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their
third goal, Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 4, 2025. —
ReutersLionel Messi signed off in style by scoring twice in his final World Cup
qualifier on home soil as Argentina beat Venezuela 3-0 on Thursday, while
Paraguay...
Lionel Messi offered one last unforgettable spectacle on
Argentine soil, guiding Argentina to a 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over
Venezuela in his final home qualifier. The 38-year-old icon,
moving through his twilight international days, once again proved why he
remains a living legend—scoring twice and delivering a moment of national pride
that will be remembered for years.
At the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, home fans packed
in to bid Messi a heartfelt farewell. The national anthem carried extra emotion
this time with Messi’s family present—his wife and children standing beside him
under the glow of expectation and love. From the start, it was clear this
wasn’t just another qualifier—it was a deeply personal milestone.ReutersBarca Blaugranes
Argentina, already qualified for the 2026 World Cup in North
America, controlled the game from whistle to whistle. Messi flew into action in
the 39th minute, capitalizing on a swift counter-attack. A perfectly timed pass
from Julián Álvarez found him unmarked, and Messi struck it into the top right
corner with surgical precision.Reuters+1
The night’s momentum only built. After halftime, Argentina’s
dominance continued but it wasn’t until the 76th minute that the second goal
came. A lofted cross by Nico González set up Lautaro Martínez, who launched
himself into a diving header that crushed Venezuela’s defense and doubled the
lead. Four minutes later, Messi added his second—this time assisted by Thiago
Almada. The stadium erupted, both for the timing and the message: Messi’s last
home qualifier ended the way fans always dreamed it would.Reuters+1Barca Blaugranes
Emotion spilled over after the match. “Being able to finish
this way here with my people—that’s what I always dreamed of,” Messi said with
a quiet throat, eyes glistening. Though retirement isn’t near, he confessed,
“Time is passing… it’s been many years.” His final home game was as poetic as
it was powerful.ReutersBarca Blaugranes
This wasn’t just an evening for farewells. Across the
continent, drama unfolded in the final round of South American qualifiers.
Paraguay punched their ticket to the World Cup for the first time since 2010
after drawing 0-0 with Ecuador—an achievement met with joyous celebrations in
Asunción.ReutersXinhua News Colombia joined
the party too, defeating Bolivia 3-0 in Barranquilla. Goals from James
Rodríguez, Jhon Córdoba, and Juan Fernando Quintero sealed their spot in the
finals.ReutersXinhua News Uruguay,
meanwhile, also booked their place, beating Peru 3-0 with strong strikes from
Rodrigo Aguirre, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, and Federico Viñas.Xinhua News
Elsewhere, Brazil climbed to second place with a comfortable
3-0 win over Chile—Estevão, Lucas Paquetá, and Bruno Guimarães scoring in a
match that solidified their return to form.Reuters Ecuador, by
contrast, slipped to fourth following a draw with Paraguay—though that was
enough to qualify.Xinhua News
As the dust settles on this chapter, Argentina leads the
South American table with 38 points and looks forward to one last qualifier
against Ecuador. Venezuela, meanwhile in seventh place, must recalibrate ahead
of a playoff against Colombia.Reuters
The night at the Monumental wasn’t just about securing
another three points—it was about a man saying goodbye, on his terms, in front
of those who cheered him on since his earliest youth. The goals, the embraces,
the final notes of the anthem—they all underscored Lionel Messi’s journey from
prodigy to legend.