According to information that was previously disclosed, Lionel Messi has reconsidered his decision about whether or not he will be present at the World Cup in 2026.
Lionel Messi has provided repeated promises, both before and during the 2022 World Cup, that the final round of the tournament would be the last one he would ever compete in, regardless of whether or not Argentina would win the championship. These pledges have been offered both before and during the tournament. The striker in issue was 35 years old at the time, and he did not believe that he would be able to continue to participate at his optimal level during the 2026 World Cup. Therefore, he decided to drop out of the competition.
Messi provided more clarification that he would not participate in any further World Cup competitions after Argentina’s success in the tournament. After Argentina’s victory, Messi continued his statement. He has indicated that he is not in a hurry to retire from his international career because he wants to play as the “reigning world champion,” but the striker has refused to discuss the 2026 World Cup. This is despite the fact that he has stated that he is not even close to retiring from his international career.
However, it appears that Messi has changed his mind after having the opportunity to play for Inter Miami in the United States. Among the countries that will be hosting the World Cup in 2026, the United States of America, along with Canada and Mexico, is one of the countries that should be recognized. Additionally, the 2023 Golden Ball aims to continue making contributions to Argentina at a time when the country is experiencing a surge of devotion from its supporters.
During the time that Messi was helping Argentina win the World Cup in 2022, he was frequently criticized for only appearing to explode in Barcelona. Messi made the following statement in his most recent interview, which was broadcast on Star+: “Time will tell whether I will appear at the 2026 World Cup or not.” In point of fact, I am getting close to the age at which players typically do not participate in important events. Thus, I stated that I do not believe I will be attending the World Cup in 2026.
“Many people had the presumption that I would soon stand down from my role on the national team when I won the World Cup in 2022. This was the notion that many people had. As a result of the fact that I have achieved everything, that is a concept that comes to mind naturally. On the other hand, the situation is heading in a different way than how it was before. It is at this very moment that my desire to play for Argentina is stronger than it has ever been before. As a consequence of the many years of suffering that we have been subjected to, we are today engaging in a one-of-a-kind experience that I have never before had the pleasure of experiencing with Argentina. “I want to take pleasure in it,” she said.
At the same time that I am not debating whether or not I will participate in the World Cup in 2026, I am also not announcing definitely that I will not do so since anything might happen. Taking into consideration both my age and my performance, I have come to the conclusion that it would be prudent for me to abstain from taking part. Even so, events are now taking place. In the aftermath of my performance at Copa America, I shall thereafter conduct additional evaluations. I do not discount the prospect of anything happening, despite the fact that the truth is not straightforward.