New Delhi: Argentine star Lionel Messi is taking his time when it comes to deciding his future. As the reigning World Cup champion he remains uncertain about whether he will join his Argentine teammates in their quest to defend their title in 2026. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner achieved his childhood dream of winning a World Cup trophy in his fifth attempt in 2022. The next FIFA World Cup will be held in the United States, where he is currently enjoying his time with Inter Miami.
In a recent interview with journalist Fabrizio Romano, the 37-year-old said, “I don’t know, they ask me a lot, especially in Argentina. I hope to finish this year well and start the year having a good preseason which I didn’t have last year due to all the trips we had.”
Will Leo Messi play at World Cup 2026? 🏆✨ @433 @AppleTv
↪️ https://t.co/XOJ7Rluk8X pic.twitter.com/XjCUlvbOE4
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 1, 2024
The former Barcelona star admitted that there is not much time left but at this point of career, he just wants to take it day by day. He further added, “From there, I will see how I am doing and feeling. We are close but at the same time it’s a lot of time and anything can happen in football. I don’t think, simply living the day to day without thinking beyond.”
The legendary striker left European football a year after winning the World Cup but he continued to rule the footballing world and grabbed attention from all over the world. In July he led Argentina to the Copa America triumph for the second time and is still scoring for the MLS side Inter Miami and even helped them qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025.
In the last match against Bolivia, he scored a hat-trick for Argentina and later dropped a bombshell revealing that he is in the final stages of his football career but has not set any deadline for his future. He told reporters, “I did not set any date or deadline about my future, I am just enjoying all this. I am more emotional than ever and taking all the love from the people because I know these can be my last games.”
Messi on his current career phase
Lionel Messi shared his thoughts on his ongoing journey with the Argentine national team and also highlighted the joy he feels when he is surrounded by younger teammates. He expressed saying, “This drives me. Enjoying being happy where I am. Despite my age, when I’m here, I feel like a kid because I’m comfortable with this team. As long as I feel good and can keep performing the way I want, we will keep enjoying it.”
The 2026 World Cup is set to begin on June 11, 2026, with the final held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium. Whether Messi will grace the field or not remains uncertain, but one thing is sure that he has secured his place in football history and will continue to leave his mark.
