Lionel Messi says playing in 2026 World Cup is still possible

Lionel Messi has emphasized that his focus at this stage of his career is on maintaining his happiness and health, rather than fixating on playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Argentina. At 37, Messi has left open the possibility of participating in the next World Cup, despite previously hinting that the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where he led Argentina to victory, could be his last.

🇦🇷✨ Leo Messi: “What’s left for me in football? Thank God I can say that I’ve achieved every dream I had”.

“My biggest dream was to win the World Cup”.

“I have won everything for club of my life in Barça, I also won titles in PSG. I can’t ask for anything else”, told Marca. pic.twitter.com/1XWFFBtDXq

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 17, 2024

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After scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Bolivia, Messi acknowledged, “I know these can be my last games.” Speaking after receiving the America Legend Award from Marca, he said, “In the moment, we will see. I don’t like to accelerate time or look ahead. I try to enjoy every day. I hope I can keep playing at this level to feel good and be happy.”

Messi added that his love for the game and feeling good on the pitch are more important to him than setting a specific goal for the 2026 World Cup. “I haven’t set a goal to reach the World Cup, but more so to live day-to-day and be well,” he explained.

Reflecting on his move to Inter Miami, Messi said it wasn’t about retirement: “We came here to try and keep making this team big, to help the development by winning titles, which we have, and we’re close to clinching more.”