Lionel Messi Confirms 2026 World Cup Involvement Plans

Lionel Messi has admitted he hopes to play pinch Argentina astatine nan upcoming 2026 World Cup.

Inter Miami’s superstar guardant pledged backmost successful 2022 that Argentina’s triumph complete France successful that year’s last would beryllium his last World Cup appearance, but his engagement pinch Lionel Scaloni’s squad remains arsenic beardown arsenic ever heading into adjacent summer’s competition.

Having signed a caller three-year nine statement pinch Miami, Messi is intelligibly not reasoning astir winding his profession down successful nan contiguous future, but it was precocious reported that he was still connected nan fence astir playing astatine adjacent summer’s World Cup, which will beryllium co-hosted by nan United States, Canada and Mexico.

In a caller question and reply pinch NBC, Messi confessed that a last determination will dangle connected his beingness fitness, but admitted that he is hopeful of being portion of Argentina’s bid to take sides their crown.

“The truth is that yes, it’s thing bonzer to beryllium capable to beryllium successful a World Cup,” Messi explained. “And I would for illustration to beryllium there. To consciousness good and to beryllium an important portion of helping my nationalist team, if I americium there.

“And I’m going to measure that connected a day-to-day ground erstwhile I commencement preseason adjacent twelvemonth pinch Inter and spot if I tin really beryllium 100%.”

Messi hopes to clasp his crown from 2022. / Daniel Jayo/Getty Images

Messi’s enthusiasm towards playing world shot pinch Argentina, successful a squad surrounded by players who person each cited him arsenic a awesome profession inspiration, has been clear to spot for respective years now.

While that whitethorn person been capable to thief seduce Messi to proceed playing adjacent summer, nan thought of helping Argentina take sides their position arsenic world champions is besides aiding his thought process.

“I’m really eager because it’s a World Cup,” Messi continued. “We’re coming disconnected winning nan past World Cup, and being capable to take sides it connected nan section again is spectacular because it’s ever a dream to play pinch nan nationalist team, particularly successful charismatic competitions, truthful hopefully God will let maine to do it erstwhile again.”

Winning silverware is thing caller to Messi, whose database of honors for some nine and state makes for ludicrous reading, but lifting nan World Cup successful 2022 sits supra everything other successful nan 38-year-old’s heart.

“Everything I went done and everything I did to execute that—it was nan dream of my life,” an affectional Messi concluded. “And it each came to mind, everything I went done to get there—my family, my people, and Argentina.”

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