Lionel Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, still harbors hopes of playing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to his Inter Miami teammate and close friend Luis Suarez. The Argentine legend, who led his country to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, may yet feature in what would be his sixth World Cup appearance.
While Argentina has already secured qualification for the 2026 tournament which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico Messi’s participation remains unconfirmed. By the time the tournament begins, Messi will be 39 years years old. Despite the uncertainty, Suarez revealed that the desire to play on remains strong within the Argentine forward.
Speaking to El Pais, Suarez shared insights into his conversations with Messi, saying, “We don’t talk like that. I know what he is like. Time will tell.” He added that while they often joke about retirement, Messi “still has that desire to play in next year’s World Cup.” In contrast, Suarez admitted that his own motivation for international football has faded since stepping away from Uruguay duty last year at the age of 38.
Despite his age, Messi continues to show remarkable form. Since the beginning of the 2024 season, he has been directly involved in at least one goal in 18 of 19 home games for Inter Miami, including a streak of 12 consecutive matches.
Suarez, whose contract with Inter Miami ends later this year, remains uncertain about his own future in the game. However, he remains driven by personal goals notably, his ambition to reach 600 career goals and secure a place among football’s all-time top 10 scorers. “As long as that flame is lit, I will want to continue competing until I can take it no longer,” Suarez said.
He also hinted at the possibility of extending his stay at Inter Miami. “If I feel capable and [Inter Miami] see that I am capable of helping, they are willing [to renew],” he said. “We’re only a couple of months into the season, so we’ll see how things go.”
For now, both veterans continue to enjoy their time in MLS, with the football world watching closely to see whether Messi will grace the World Cup stage one final time.
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