Lionel Messi has admitted he hopes to play with Argentina at the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Inter Miami’s superstar forward pledged back in 2022 that Argentina’s victory over France in that year’s final would be his final World Cup appearance, but his involvement with Lionel Scaloni’s team remains as strong as ever heading into next summer’s competition.
Having signed a new three-year club contract with Miami, Messi is clearly not thinking about winding his career down in the immediate future, but it was recently reported that he was still on the fence about playing at next summer’s World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In a recent interview with NBC, Messi confessed that a final decision will depend on his physical fitness, but admitted that he is hopeful of being part of Argentina’s bid to defend their crown.
“The truth is that yes, it’s something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup,” Messi explained. “And I would like to be there. To feel well and to be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there.
“And I’m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter and see if I can really be 100%.”
Defending Argentina’s Title Key to Messi’s Desire
Messi’s enthusiasm towards playing international soccer with Argentina, in a team surrounded by players who have all cited him as a major career inspiration, has been clear to see for several years now.
While that may have been enough to help persuade Messi to continue playing next summer, the idea of helping Argentina defend their status as world champions is also aiding his thought process.
“I’m really eager because it’s a World Cup,” Messi continued. “We’re coming off winning the last World Cup, and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular because it’s always a dream to play with the national team, especially in official competitions, so hopefully God will allow me to do it once again.”
Winning silverware is nothing new to Messi, whose list of honors for both club and country makes for ludicrous reading, but lifting the World Cup in 2022 sits above everything else in the 38-year-old’s heart.
“Everything I went through and everything I did to achieve that—it was the dream of my life,” an emotional Messi concluded. “And it all came to mind, everything I went through to get there—my family, my people, and Argentina.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lionel Messi Confirms 2026 World Cup Involvement Plans.