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 , 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%.”
