World Cup 2026/Argentina: Lionel Messi sets out conditions for participation

The Argentinian captain has left the door open for him to take part in the next World Cup, even though he will be 39 by the time the tournament comes around.

The player reached the pinnacle of the sport by leading the Albiceleste to their third World Cup title in Qatar in 2022, and after the tournament he announced that it would be his last.

However, his position has since changed and he is now considering the possibility of taking part in the next edition.

Messi’s comments

Speaking to Pollo Alvarez of Infobae, La Pulga explained that playing at the 2026 World Cup will depend on how he feels.

“It depends on how I feel, my physical condition and how realistic I am with myself,” said Messi.

“There’s still a lot of time left… in quotes, ‘a lot and a little’, because it goes by quickly, but there’s still time and I don’t know how I’ll be at that point.

Age is also a reality, even if it’s just a number. The matches I’m going to play from now on aren’t the same as the ones I played when I was in Europe, where I played every three days, either in the Champions League or in the league, whether in France or Spain.

But it depends on how I feel and how I feel when I’m alongside my team-mates, and whether I’m still up to scratch or not. We’ll see,” added the current Inter Miami player.

He also revealed how he deals with players who try to annoy him on the pitch by “nagging”.