Argentine football icon Lionel Messi, 38, says he hopes to feature at the 2026 World Cup but will decide based on his fitness and readiness with Inter Miami next year.
Lionel Messi has finally addressed the swirling speculation over whether he will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying he hopes to play but will let his body decide when the time comes.
The 38-year-old captain, who led Argentina to their third World Cup title in 2022, said in a recent interview that representing his country at another tournament would be “extraordinary.” However, he cautioned that the decision will depend on his physical condition as he prepares for another season with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
“It’s something extraordinary to be in a World Cup, and I would love to be there,” Messi told NBC News, according to AFP. “I would like to be well and be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there.”
Messi said he plans to assess his fitness during next year’s preseason with Inter Miami before committing to what would be his sixth World Cup appearance.
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“I’m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year,” he explained. “If I can really be 100%, if I can be useful to the group, to the national team, then I’ll make a decision.”
The 2026 tournament, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, could mark the final chapter of one of football’s greatest careers. By the time the competition begins, Messi will be 39 — a remarkable age for a player still competing at the highest level.
For Argentina, Messi’s possible return offers a chance to defend the title they dramatically captured in Qatar. His influence remains unmatched: 114 goals in 195 international appearances and countless records across two decades of football dominance.
Messi’s journey from a teenage prodigy at the 2006 World Cup to lifting the trophy in 2022 has cemented his place among the sport’s immortals. Even before that triumph, his artistry and consistency had already earned him global adoration. But with the World Cup finally in his hands, many now regard him as the undisputed “Greatest of All Time.”
Whether or not he steps onto the pitch in 2026, Messi’s legacy is already beyond question — but football fans worldwide are hoping they haven’t seen the last of him on the game’s biggest stage.