General Information

One of the greatest legends in world football history, Lionel Messi, continues to mesmerize on football pitches even at 39 years of age. The captain of the Argentina National Team, Messi currently plays for MLS side Inter Miami. Having completed the biggest gap in his career by winning the 2022 World Cup, Messi still creates great uncertainty regarding the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Argentine superstar, who has broken countless records throughout his career, will make his final decision on whether to participate in the 2026 World Cup by closely monitoring his physical condition. Expressing his willingness to participate with the words "Being in the World Cup is extraordinary and I would very much like that. I want to be there, to be in good shape and to make an important contribution for my team," Messi will make his final decision at the beginning of the 2025-2026 season based on his training performance.

2026 World Cup Preparations

Participation Decision and Physical Condition

Messi, who will turn 39 in June 2026, has postponed his retirement by signing a 3-year contract extension with Inter Miami. However, the legendary footballer, who states that his physical condition will be of critical importance for World Cup participation, does not want to make this decision hastily.

Argentina Technical Director Lionel Scaloni also stated that their approach to this situation is patient, explaining that "Messi has not yet made a definitive decision and they are in no rush." This uncertainty also affects the team's preparation process and requires working on alternative plans.

Championship Defense Chances

Messi displays a cautious perspective regarding Argentina's chances of defending their championship in 2026. While expressing his confidence in the team's quality with the words "We have a very good squad and we will try to win the cup again," he particularly emphasizes the difficulties of the tournament.

"In the World Cup, every detail is very important, the smallest thing can eliminate you from the tournament. Every team can challenge you. You can be eliminated by hitting the post or you can lose on penalties," says Messi, also sharing lessons learned from the 2022 final: "Even though we won the 2022 final on penalties, we were better in both the Netherlands and France matches, but the result was still decided by penalties."

Career Statistics

Category	Value
National Team Appearances	195
National Team Goals	114
World Cup Participations	5 (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)
World Cup Championships	1 (2022)
2022 World Cup Performance	7 matches - 7 goals
Current Club	Inter Miami
Contract Status	Extended until 2027

Betting Perspective

2026 World Cup Odds

The uncertainty about whether Messi will participate in the 2026 World Cup is causing major fluctuations in betting markets. The fact that the participation decision depends on his physical condition significantly affects both top scorer and MVP odds.

Top Scorer Bets: Considering Messi's participation probability, betting sites generally offer high odds. A 39-year-old footballer becoming top scorer would be a rarely seen situation in history.

MVP Bets: Although the possibility of Messi, who was selected as the tournament's best player in 2022, becoming MVP again is seen as low due to his age, medium-level odds are given considering his experience and leadership qualities.

Team Success Odds

Argentina's chances of defending their championship largely depend on Messi's participation. Messi draws attention to the tournament's difficulty by emphasizing the presence of strong teams like Spain, France, England, Brazil, and Germany. This situation questions Argentina's status as favorites in the betting market.

Current Status and Future Plans

Messi, whose performance at Inter Miami is closely monitored, continues to make important contributions in his club career. The 3-year contract extension shows his intention to end his career in America, but the World Cup fire still burns within him.

About the 2022 World Cup victory, Messi says "It was the goal of my life. It was the only thing missing professionally because I had the chance to achieve everything individually and with Barcelona as a team," not hiding his desire to repeat this success.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Will Messi participate in the 2026 World Cup?

Messi has stated that he is willing to participate but has announced that he will make his final decision based on his physical condition. He will decide at the beginning of the 2025-2026 season based on his training performance.

Can Argentina defend their championship in 2026?

While Messi states that he has confidence in the team's quality, he takes a cautious approach by emphasizing the difficulties of the tournament. He particularly mentions the presence of strong rivals like Spain, France, England, Brazil, and Germany.

How is Messi's national team career?

Messi has made 195 appearances in an Argentina jersey and scored 114 goals. In the 2022 World Cup, he scored 7 goals in 7 matches, won the championship, and was selected as the tournament's best player.