Lionel Messi has not ruled out playing in the World Cup 2026. The football star will be 38 years old when the tournament begins in 2026, and he will even turn 39 during the event. The tournament will be hosted in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Despite stating that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar would be his last, Messi has not yet retired from international football.
In an interview with InfoBae, Messi’s teammate Alexis Mac Allister revealed that the entire Argentina squad has encouraged Messi to stay on for the World Cup in 2026. Although Messi has not made a decision about his participation in the tournament yet, he stated that it depends on how he feels physically and whether he is at a competitive level to help his teammates.
Messi also mentioned that age is a factor, and his club games may not be as intense as they used to be when he played in European competitions. Despite his achievements in the 2022 World Cup, Messi admitted that he has never watched the final match. He explained that watching his own games makes him feel embarrassed and that he prefers to rely on his memories of the match without going back to watch it.
With over a decade of international experience under his belt, Messi has scored an impressive 106 goals in just 180 caps for Argentina. His legacy in football continues to grow, and fans eagerly await his decision regarding the World Cup 2026.
Despite saying that he would retire after the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi has continued to play for Argentina’s national team. The star player has been instrumental in their recent successes and is expected to lead them as they defend their Copa America title this summer.
Messi’s decision about participating in the next World Cup remains uncertain as he wants to make sure that he is physically fit enough to contribute to his team’s success.
The upcoming tournament will mark Lionel Messi’s fourth participation in a FIFA World Cup if he decides to participate again.
The tournament will take place across three countries – Canada, Mexico, and the United States – from June 14th through July 7th, making it one of largest tournaments ever held with a total of six groups of four teams each.
Fans all around the world are eagerly waiting for Lionel Messi’s announcement regarding whether or not he will participate in this year’s FIFA World Cup.
