Lionel Messi, who will be 39 by the time the next World Cup is held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, may continue his pursuit of a spot on the team. Here, find out if the forward could play in the 2026 edition of the tournament.
In 2022, Lionel Messi finally led Argentina to their first World Cup victory in nearly 20 years, following in the footsteps of legendary captains Diego Maradona and Daniel Passarella.
The PSG superstar has since expressed his desire to continue playing at a championship level, but has made no plans beyond the immediate future. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and by 2026, when Lionel Messi will be nearing the end of one of the greatest athletic careers of all time, he may no longer be playing for his national team.
“This will be my last World Cup, almost certainly,” the soccer icon told Argentine journalist Sebastián Vignola just before the start of Qatar 2022. He will be 39 before the next World Cup in 2026 is held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico flight.
Will Lionel Messi feature for Argentina at 2026 World Cup?
However, Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni has spoken about his main star possibly participating in the 2026 World Cup: “I think Messi can make it to the next World Cup.
“It will depend a lot on what he wants and what happens over time, that he feels good. The doors will always be open. He is happy on the pitch, and for us [it] would be good”, he told Spanish radio Calvia FM.
Despite the Argentine’s best efforts, his side lost the 2014 World Cup Final 1-0 to Germany, despite being favored. The 35-year-old forward may have been disappointed leading up to the World Cup, but he more than made up for it by becoming a tournament MVP in Qatar.
