Will Messi play 2026 World Cup? The big question

“Will Messi play 2026 World cup?” was the question raised after Lionel Messi received the American Legend award from Spanish newspaper Marca. The Argentine superstar shared that he does not want to look too far into the future, instead focusing on enjoying each day. Two years ago, Messi won the biggest title of his career when he won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina. At the age of 37, when his career is gradually coming to an end, fans around the world are curious whether Messi will continue to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup – a tournament scheduled to be held in the US, Canada and Mexico – or not. Messi himself revealed his thoughts on the possibility of participating in the biggest football event on the planet. So let’s clarify this question with Premiumsoccertips.net!

Is Messi playing in the 2026 World Cup?

Messi’s international career has been illustrious, highlighted by his leading role in victories at the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup. Since making his debut in 2005, he has become La Albiceleste’s all-time leading scorer with 106 goals in 180 appearances.

The 36-year-old has previously hinted at the challenges of playing in the 2026 World Cup due to his age. He will be 39 by the time the tournament takes place. However, he has now left the door open, saying it depends on his physical condition and form at that time.

“It depends on how I feel, how I am physically and being realistic with myself. There is still a lot of time… in quotes, ‘very little’, because time goes by very quickly, but there is still a little time, and I don’t know what I will be like at that time. Age is also a reality that exists, even though it is just a number,” Messi revealed.

“The games I will play now are not the same as the games I played when I was in Europe, playing every three days, whether it was in the Champions League, in the league, in France or Spain. But it depends on how I feel and what I feel when I am with my teammates and whether I am still at that level… let’s see,” he added.

The value of being happy over qualifying for the 2026 World Cup

Lionel Messi says he is happy as long as he is doing what he loves, as he values being happy over qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He has yet to set a goal of qualifying for the major tournament, which is just two years away.

“When I am doing what I love, I am happy. I value that more than qualifying for the 2026 tournament. I don’t aim to qualify for the World Cup, I just want to live day by day and be healthy.”

Messi equals Cristiano Ronaldo’s record

Lionel Messi continued his record-breaking streak at the age of 37, as he equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s mammoth record by scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Bolivia. With his 10th hat-trick for Argentina, Messi equalled Ronaldo’s record as the player with the most international hat-tricks.

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What Lisandro Martinez said about Messi?

Martinez highlighted Messi’s calmness and enjoyment of the day-to-day activities with the national team. The Manchester United defender believes his superstar team-mate is crucial to the team’s morale and performance. “He is very calm, more than anything, he enjoys the day-to-day. It’s great to be here, we all have a great relationship,” Martinez said at a press conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

He added, “We don’t see this (as his last tournament with Argentina). We see him happy and at an impressive level. For us, playing with Leo is a huge plus. Everyone knows what Leo represents, he is the best in the world. The fact that he plays for our team is definitely a plus. We are happy to share the days with him.”

Should Messi play in the 2026 World Cup?

There are some pros and cons that Messi should consider.

If he plays in the 2026 World Cup:

Messi has the chance to become the first player in history to play in six World Cups, surpassing the current record of Lothar Matthäus, Antonio Carbajal, Andrés Guardado, Rafael Márquez, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have all played in five. If he does play in the tournament, he could also play at a stadium that is the home of Inter Miami, his current club.

Additionally, Messi has the potential to extend his record for most World Cup appearances (26), surpassing Matthäus (25), Miroslav Klose (24), and Paolo Maldini (23), and prevent Cristiano Ronaldo (22) from closing the gap if the Portuguese superstar also reaches the milestone of playing in his sixth tournament. With special interest from fans in North America, Messi’s appearance at the 2026 World Cup will be the focus of global attention.

Should Messi play in the 2026 World Cup?

However, there are several reasons why Messi would not declare his participation in the World Cup for the sixth time:

Lionel Messi could consider retiring after his contract with Inter Miami ends at the end of 2025, if he chooses to do so. He ended the most recent World Cup with a great victory, leaving a brilliant legacy and full of joy. This success also creates an opportunity for Argentina’s young attacking talents to gain experience, especially when the team has ended a 36-year title drought.

In case he is not in the best form in 2026, Messi could choose not to participate to avoid the risk of ending his World Cup career at the age of 39 in an unexpected way, preserving his legendary image on the international stage.

Looking back, moving forward

The question of “will Messi play 2026 World cup?” is still unanswered, but Lionel Messi has left the door open for participation depending on his fitness and form over the next two years. At 37, Messi is still in impressive form and continues to set records, such as equaling Cristiano Ronaldo’s international hat-tricks. However, with humility and practicality, he stressed that the joy of playing football and personal health are more important than setting specific goals such as playing in the 2026 World Cup. Whatever the final result, Messi remains an icon of world football, and fans will always follow his every step on the pitch.