Overview
- Argentina beat Venezuela 3-0 at a sold-out Estadio Monumental, with Messi netting a brace and Lautaro Martínez adding the other goal.
- Messi confirmed this was his final World Cup qualifier on home soil and entered the pitch with his children, wiping away tears before kickoff.
- He reiterated he has not decided on playing at the 2026 World Cup, saying he will go day by day based on how his body feels.
- The forward extended his South American qualifying record to 36 goals as Argentina, already through, stayed atop CONMEBOL with 38 points.
- Coach Lionel Scaloni said Messi will be rested and not travel to Ecuador, as Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay joined the automatic qualifiers from the region.