The 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, with Messi’s Argentina the defending champions.
Diego GorostietaDiegsGorostietaRoddy ConsRoddyConsEstados UnidosUpdate: Sep 21st, 2023 13:52 EDT
Luciano GonzálezEFE
In a wide-ranging interview given to Argentine actor and comedian Migue Granados of streaming channel Olga TV, Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi discussed what the future holds for him, including his thoughts on whether he would feature for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, and his eventual retirement from soccer.
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi calls out PSG for lack of recognition after Argentina’s 2022 World Cup win.
Leo Messi on next World Cup: “I want to arrive to the next Copa America in good condition then I will see depending on how I am”. 🏆🇦🇷“I'm not thinking about the next World Cup yet. The years have passed and we have to see how I feel, I will see it day by day”, via @olgaenvivo. pic.twitter.com/NN3zuD6yav
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 21, 2023
Will Lionel Messi play for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup?
There has plenty of speculation as to whether the 2022 World Cup-winning captain will be involved in La Albiceleste defending the trophy, but the former Barcelona playmaker revealed that he hasn’t given it much thought, preferring to focus on the short and medium term, including the 2024 Copa América.
“I haven’t thought about it yet because it’s still a long way off. But I have thought about the Copa América, that will be played here in the United States, and my objective is to be ready to play. It’s going to be great because we already played the Copa América Centenario here (in 2016) and we really enjoyed it, the stadiums were incredible. After the Copa América, we’ll see what happens. I’ll see how I feel, I’ll take things one day at a time. It’s still three years away”, Messi explained.
What will Inter Miami star do when he retires from soccer?
Messi, now 36-years-old, was also asked about his retirement after his spell in Miami, which you’d have to think will come sooner rather than later. However, that’s also something that hasn’t crossed his mind yet.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner does think he would like to stay involved in soccer in some capacity but isn’t completely sure on what role he could play.
🎙️ “What would you like to do after retirement?”🇦🇷🗣️ Leo Messi: "I don't know, I love everything related to football. I love being with children and teaching them, and also the idea of being a sports director, but I don't know where I'll start…” pic.twitter.com/64soTP6LQb
— Barça Worldwide (@BarcaWorldwide) September 21, 2023
