According to Mario Kempes, Lionel Messi was completely justified in retiring from Argentina duty in 2016, but he made the right decision to return.

After suffering another excruciating final defeat at the Copa America, Messi declared to the world that he would be retiring from international football. He was quickly persuaded to change his mind, allowing him to go on to win the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, following continental success with the Albiceleste the year before.

Kempes, who dominated the globe in 1978, told Infobae why he understood Messi’s dissatisfaction and how the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has found a new lease of life under Lionel Scaloni, who has faced uncertainties about his own future. “You need to respect everything. When Messi resigned, I said everything was OK. If he lost, that was his fault… There was a period when I thought, ‘What’s the point? Why are you going to wreck your life by traveling to Argentina?

He does what he needs to do, and everything goes well for him, but not for the National Team, which upsets him. And I said, “Let him not come again; let him be happy in Barcelona.” But one day, the tables turned: he found a new coach and a new team, and he began to enjoy himself, winning the Copa America and the World Cup. The same thing happened to Scaloni; despite his lack of experience and a temporary coach, he began to perform well, they left him alone, he won champion, and now he says ‘gentlemen, respect me’. He can choose to leave or stay. There must be some concerns that we are not aware of.”

Scaloni has signed a new contract with the Argentina national team until the completion of the 2026 World Cup cycle. Messi is also likely to play until that point, despite original reports that he will retire after bringing his long quest for world success to an end in the Middle East.

Inter Miami superstar Messi is now playing club football in the United States, which will co-host the 2026 World Cup with neighbours Canada and Mexico, while his record-breaking number of international caps and goals for Argentina has increased to 180 and 106, respectively.