Lionel Messi Makes Major 2026 World Cup Claim
Lionel Messi isn’t done just yet. That fire in his eyes, the one that lit up Qatar during Argentina’s unforgettable World Cup run in 2022, still burns. If you ask his long-time teammate Nicolás Otamendi, there’s every reason to believe we’ll see Messi back on the world stage in 2026.
Messi hasn’t confirmed anything publicly. He hasn’t said anything, but that silence hasn’t stopped the speculation. How could it? This is Lionel Messi we’re talking about. He is not just another player weighing his options. He is the heart of Argentina, the man who finally brought the trophy home after 36 long years, and someone whose presence alone changes the whole landscape of a tournament.
Otamendi, who’s battled alongside Messi through the highs and the lows, recently opened up about the possibility of seeing his captain at another World Cup. Speaking to Radio La Red, Otamendi said, “Obviously, as the World Cup gets closer, he’ll make his decision. But I don’t see Leo missing out on the World Cup. Leo is Leo, the best player in soccer history.”
Still Proving There’s More To Give
To his fans and many pundits, Messi completed the game in Qatar. He scored twice in the final, lifted the World Cup trophy, and closed the chapter on a career that already felt unreal. But if you’ve followed Messi long enough, you know his story doesn’t end when the critics think it should. It ends when he decides.
He’ll be 39 by the time the next World Cup starts in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, a number that would scare off most players. But Messi? He’s still moving differently. With Inter Miami in the MLS, the man has not slowed down. In just 13 games this season, he’s scored 10 goals and provided 6 assists. That earned him the MLS Player of the Month in May and made it clear that, physically, he still has plenty of time left to give.
Perhaps most importantly, he looks like he’s enjoying himself. Not just competing, but enjoying the game. At this stage in his career, that counts for everything. Otamendi said the same thing: “Helping Argentina is in his DNA.” It’s not just about whether he can do it physically. It’s about whether he wants to. Messi’s desire to compete? That never left. If anything, it’s still quietly driving him.
The Stars Might Be Coming For a Final Run
Messi has kept things vague when it comes to 2026, and that’s very much on purpose. He’s not the type to commit to a long-term plan if he’s unsure about his condition or the circumstances. But the stars might be aligning more than people realize.
For starters, the next World Cup is not being held halfway across the world. It is in North America. Messi lives in Miami. He plays for Inter Miami. Everything, his lifestyle, his routine, his comfort zone, is now centered in the U.S. That alone could make things more manageable for him. No traveling or adapting to time zones or climates. Just football, in a place where he’s already settled.
Argentina, meanwhile, have already punched their ticket to the tournament. They’re currently 10 points clear of second-place Ecuador in the CONMEBOL qualification standings. That kind of dominance gives Messi and coach Lionel Scaloni breathing room. There’s time to prepare, reflect, and decide.
Even Scaloni has kept the door wide open. He knows that with Messi, everything changes. He’s smart enough to let Leo make his call whenever he’s ready. “We go game by game,” Scaloni has said. His Inter Miami teammate and close friend, Luis Suárez, added more fuel to the hope recently. “Leo has that desire to play in the next year’s World Cup,” Suárez revealed. Coming from someone who’s around Messi day in and day out, that kind of statement feels genuine.
Final Thoughts
In truth, we are in a familiar place when it comes to Messi. Nothing is decided yet, but everyone has a clue what might happen. Messi’s motivation has always been different. He has never played to prove people wrong. He has played because it is what he was born to do. If Otamendi’s words are anything to go by, Messi still feels there’s
Who wouldn’t want to see that? A final showdown on the world stage. One more shot at immortality, not because he needs it, but because he loves it. Until Messi speaks, all we have are hints. Those hints, however, drive more speculation of how he might show up for the World Cup 2026, rather than not.
