Lionel Messi to announce shock retirement?

  • By Smith Alexander
  • Buenos Aires
  • Last updated on

Ballon d'Or 2023 created a stir on Saturday when rumors have surfaced that his career was over.
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Sad news for Messi fans. Speculation had been rife that Ballon d'Or 2023 is about to announce his retirement from sports, at age 39, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 11/10/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a footballer isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a footballer just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouLionel

For a little while on Saturday evening, #ThankYouLionel was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Lionel Messi was unlike any other footballer we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouLionel”
— @universalObserver, 10 Oct 2026
“I thought Lionel Messi retired about 5 years ago?!?”
— @millythom, 10 Oct 2026

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