Lionel Messi, Argentina's footballing legend, has left the door slightly open for a potential appearance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reported by GOAL. This comes as a surprise twist to his previous stance, where he hinted that he would not defend Argentina's title after securing a memorable victory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Messi's focus, for now, remains on the upcoming 2024 Copa America, which is to be held in the United States. The 36-year-old forward, who has reached an impressive 176 caps and scored 104 goals for his national team, explained his current outlook, saying, “I don't know if I will reach it. I said that before. I'm not thinking about it yet because it's far away, but I'm thinking about Copa America. The goal is to arrive in good shape for Copa America in the United States. It's going to be great. It will be looked into depending on how I feel at the time.”
Messi, who is currently under contract with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS) through 2025, with an option for a 12-month extension, may contemplate participating in another World Cup if he believes it's feasible. However, he has also expressed a strong desire to return to his roots at Newell's Old Boys in Argentina before retiring.
“The idea was always there – and even more so after becoming a World Cup winner – to enjoy Argentine football, to play for Newell’s,” Messi revealed. “I used to go there as a kid. I used to go to the pitch there; it was my dream.” Messi initially joined Newell's youth system before embarking on his illustrious career at Barcelona, where he became a seven-time Ballon d'Or winner and one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.
While Messi's decision regarding the 2026 World Cup remains uncertain, his fans will eagerly anticipate the possibility of witnessing his magic on the world's biggest footballing stage once again, should he decide to participate.
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