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Lionel Messi has left the door open for a potential appearance at the 2030 World Cup, which would see him playing a commemorative match on home soil for Argentina at the age of 43.
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Lionel Messi (R) dribbles past goalkeeper Alexander Schlager before scoring Argentina's second goal in their 2-0 victory over Austria in the second match of Group J at the 2026 World Cup in Arlington, Texas, on June 22, 2026. Photo by AP |
During a press conference following Argentina's 2-0 victory over Austria in their second match of Group J at the 2026 World Cup, Messi was asked about competing in the tournament's upcoming centennial edition.
"I don't know," Messi said, as quoted by ANI. "The truth is, I'm not thinking about that right now. It seems a bit far off but, as I said, I'm living one day at a time and focused on the present."
While he refrained from making a commitment, the Inter Miami forward made it clear he plans to keep playing internationally as long as he can contribute to the squad.
"Yes, yes... I will continue for some time, as long as I can contribute, feel good physically, and help my teammates... I will keep playing," he added.
Messi, who celebrated his 39th birthday on June 24, was expected to make the 2026 World Cup his final appearance on the global stage. However, his spectacular form is forcing fans and pundits to reconsider.
He is enjoying the most prolific start to a World Cup campaign in his career, scoring all five of Argentina's goals in their first two matches. This includes a hat-trick against Algeria and a brace against Austria.
His performance against Austria cemented his place in football history, bringing his World Cup goal tally to 18. This achievement officially surpassed the previous all-time record of 16 goals held by Germany legend Miroslav Klose.
Messi remained grounded. He even acknowledged a missed penalty that occurred before scoring the brace against Austria.
"The truth is that it is spectacular how it happened," he said. "Today I had the penalty that I could have increased the score with, but if I had scored the penalty, perhaps I wouldn't have scored the other two. You never know, but I'm happy with the result."
When asked later which of his 18 World Cup goals was his favorite, Messi admitted he simply didn't have the energy to single one out, noting he couldn't instantly recall the exact details of every strike.
If Messi does decide to compete in 2030, he will shatter even more records, becoming the first male player in history to participate in seven World Cups. He currently shares the six-tournament milestone with Cristiano Ronaldo and Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
The 2030 edition carries deep meaning for Argentina. While the primary hosts will be Spain, Portugal and Morocco, three commemorative matches marking the tournament's 100th anniversary will be played in South America.
Argentina has secured the rights to host one of these opening fixtures at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, alongside Uruguay and Paraguay. This will mark the first World Cup match played on Argentine soil since the country hosted the tournament in 1978.
The opportunity to play a World Cup match in front of a home crowd could provide the ultimate motivation for Messi to extend his international career. His current contract with Inter Miami runs until 2028, at which point he will be 41, leaving a relatively short window before the 2030 tournament begins.
