Whether he would play in the World Cup or not—Lionel Messi had long been caught in this question. He had answered it several times indirectly. Decoding all his replies led to one conclusion: “I’m getting older; it might be time to step aside.” But now, Messi has given Argentina fans some wonderful news.
In an interview with NBC News, Messi said, “To be honest, playing in the World Cup is an incredible thing. I definitely want to be on that stage again. If I’m with the team, I want to play an important role in the national team’s success.”
However, age and fitness remain the biggest obstacles. Since the 2022 World Cup, Messi has been frequently sidelined with injuries. Over the last three years, he has been out of action for around 150 days due to fitness-related issues and has taken an additional 17 days of rest. In contrast, during the previous World Cup cycle, he had only been unavailable for 76 days in total.
When the 2026 World Cup takes place, Messi will be 39 years old. Aware of this reality, he shared his plan: “Next year, when I begin preseason training with Inter Miami, I’ll monitor my physical condition every day to see if I’m 100% fit. Only if I’m fully fit and capable of contributing to the team will I make my final decision.”
Messi remains hopeful that he will play in the World Cup: “I’m very excited because it’s the biggest stage in football. We won the last World Cup, and having the chance to defend that title would be incredible. Playing for the national team has always been like a dream for me—especially in such a major tournament. I just hope that God gives me the opportunity to do it once more.”
Argentina’s all-time top scorer and most-capped player, Messi, first played in the World Cup in 2006 at the age of 18. After the heartbreak of the 2014 final, he finally fulfilled his dream by winning the title in Qatar in 2022.
However, whether Messi will play in the 2026 World Cup remains uncertain. For now, his decision depends entirely on his fitness.
