Lionel Messi believes he has already “completed the game” after leading Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory in Qatar, a mindset he says has allowed him and his teammates to approach another final with freedom rather than pressure.
Speaking ahead of Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2026 final against Spain, the 39-year-old reflected on how different this title challenge feels compared to the one that ended his long wait for football’s biggest prize four years ago.
‘I already completed the game’
When asked whether retaining the World Cup would represent the final achievement in an already extraordinary career, Messi responded with a smile.
“I already completed the game at the last World Cup,” Messi said at a pre-final media event, comparing his career to finishing a video game.
The remark underlined the sense of fulfilment that has surrounded Messi throughout the tournament. Having already won the World Cup in Qatar, he enters Sunday’s final with the opportunity to guide Argentina to back-to-back titles rather than chase a long-awaited first triumph.
Playing without fear
Messi also dismissed suggestions that Argentina are carrying the weight of expectation into another World Cup final.
Instead, he said football has always been about enjoyment.
“We grew up playing football with a lot of passion, always eager to play and enjoy ourselves, whether at school, on the street or with our neighbourhood teams,” Messi said, according to Argentine broadcaster TyC Sports.
He added that learning to lose while growing up had shaped both his personality and career.
“You lose more than you win. That helped me grow as a person and as a player. We never really think about pressure. We just enjoy playing and competing.”
Another World Cup milestone awaits
Messi will make yet another piece of World Cup history when he leads Argentina out at the New York New Jersey Stadium. The Argentina captain is set to become only the second men’s player after Cafu to appear in three FIFA World Cup finals.
He also heads into the final leading the race for the tournament’s Golden Ball after another influential campaign, having helped Argentina reach successive World Cup finals for the first time in the nation’s history.
One last challenge against Spain
Standing between Argentina and a successful title defence is European champions Spain, who have impressed throughout the tournament with their possession-based football and youthful squad led by Lamine Yamal. For Messi, however, Sunday’s final is less about legacy and more about one final opportunity to enjoy football’s biggest stage.
Argentina are bidding to become the first men’s team since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the FIFA World Cup, while Spain are chasing only the second World Cup title in their history.
