Lionel Messi reveals whether or not he will play for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup

Argentina-mania is well and truly alive in China, where the 2022 World Cup winners are currently gearing up to play an end-of-season friendly match against Australia. Of course, captain Lionel Messi has already been in the headlines for agreeing a groundbreaking move to MLS side Inter Miami and the ex-Barcelona star has set tongues wagging once again with comments made in an interview broadcast on Chinese television regarding whether or not he’ll play in the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Will Messi play for Argentina in the USA, Mexico and Canada?

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner had hinted after Argentina’s triumph in Qatar that he intended to play in one more tournament, by which time he will be 39, but has now stated that’s unlikely to be the case. “I don’t think I’ll play in the next World Cup. I’d like to be there to see it but I’m not going to play”, said Messi.

Messi’s sights set on eighth Ballon d’Or?

Seven months after getting his hands on the World Cup, the one major trophy that had been missing from his illustrious collection, he also revealed that winning an eighth Ballon d’Or wasn’t especially high on his list of priorities: “At this point in my career, if it comes, great. If not, it’s fine. Does it matter to me? No, at this stage of my life, it’s no longer important. I’ve always said that individual awards don’t matter to me, it’s about winning as a team. So the most important trophy at the moment is the World Cup. That’s the biggest award for me”.

Former Barcelona boss Guardiola “the best in the world”

Messi, who will leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires at the end of the month before moving to Miami, was also asked about whether he keeps in touch with Pep Guardiola, who has just completed the treble with Manchester City after winning the Champions League. “Yes, and they deserved to win the Champions League. He is the best coach in the world”, he said of his former manager at Barcelona.

Following City’s win over Inter, Guardiola had told Argentinian sports newspaper Olé he felt that winning the Champions League had given him the same kind of release that Messi would have felt after his World Cup victory.

Will Messi play for Argentina against Australia and Indonesia?

Ahead of his move to the United States and MLS, Messi also sought to explain exactly what winning the tournament in Qatar meant to him: “After winning the World Cup, the main trophy I’d never won, I feel satisfied with and thankful for the career that I’ve had. That’s the most important thing for me”, he concluded.

According to Argentinian broadcaster TyC Sports, Messi is expected to feature against Australia in Beijing on Thursday but won’t make the trip to Jakarta to face Indonesia on Monday 19 June, instead taking some time off before relocating to Miami.