Argentina superstar Lionel Messi has stated that he is willing to play in the FIFA World Cup 2026 and that he intends to continue playing football.
Messi realized his long-held dream of winning the World Cup when he led Argentina to victory in Qatar last year. The 35-year-old finished the tournament with the Golden Ball as the competition’s best player and seven goals.
Messi scored a brace in the final as he defeated France and his PSG teammate on penalties to win the big prize. The Argentine superstar had hinted that he would retire from international football after the World Cup, but he now appears to want to play until the next tournament.
According to Reuters, Messi agreed that playing in the 2026 World Cup would be impossible due to his age. He did, however, admit that he enjoys playing football and intends to continue doing so.
The 35-year-old stated that his participation in the 2026 edition will be contingent on how his career is progressing at the time.
“Because of age, it will be difficult to make 2026,” Messi, 35, told Diario Ole, an Argentine sports newspaper. “I love playing football and while I feel like I’m in good shape and enjoying this, I’m going to keep at it. It may seem like a long time until the next World Cup, but it all depends on how my career progresses.”
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni would want to see the superstar Messi, who is one of just six players to have played in five World Cups, participating in the next World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
“I think Messi can make it to the next World Cup,” Scaloni said last month on Spanish radio Calvia FM. “It will be very dependent on what he wants and what happens over time to make him feel happy. The doors will remain open at all times. He’s happy on the field, which is good for us.”