Lionel Messi’s 2026 World Cup doubt: The one condition that will determine if he plays

Lionel Messi remains eager to play soccer at the highest level. The Inter Miami captain, legendary former FC Barcelona and Argentina star, continues to chase new milestones in his career. On Monday, NBC News released an interview with the ’10,’ in which Messi stopped short of confirming whether he will compete in the 2026 World Cup.

After September’s FIFA international window, highlighted by an epic night against Venezuela that saw Messi lead Argentina to victory, the captain admitted he is unsure about his participation in the tournament set to take place in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. In his one-on-one with NBC journalist Tom Llamas, the 38-year-old gave more insight.

Lionel Messi builds 2026 World Cup suspense

When asked about playing in next year’s World Cup, Messi said: “It’s special to be part of the World Cup, I would like to be there, to feel well and to be an important part of helping my team if I’m there. I’m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter Miami and see if I can really be at 100 percent, if I can be useful to the group, to the team. Then I’ll make a decision.”

“Of course, I’m really eager because it’s a World Cup. We just won the last one (Qatar 2022), and to be able to defend it on the field again would be incredible, because it’s always a dream to play for the national team, especially in the most important tournament,” he added.

Qatar 2022 and the dream of 2026

Reflecting on his triumph at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022, Messi said: “It was the dream of my entire life. It was also the only thing I was missing professionally. I’ve been lucky to achieve everything, both individually and collectively with Barcelona, and I think that’s the dream of any player. If you ask any player what their dream is, they’ll say it’s to be a world champion. Winning the World Cup gave me an extraordinary boost of energy. It’s an indescribable joy to be a world champion.”

Messi’s focus shifts to Inter Miami

For now, Messi’s full attention will be on Inter Miami, as they chase the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. His main goal is to give departing teammates like Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba a final triumph while helping the team secure its first MLS Cup. After the season, Messi will take a break before starting preseason, where he will begin assessing his condition ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

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