Lionel Messi isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, he’ll soon be suiting up for Inter Miami CF. But Messi doesn’t plan on playing for Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Messi announced that he’s done playing in the World Cup in an interview with Titan Sports.
“I think not. [Qatar] was my last World Cup,” Messi said about playing in the 2026 World Cup. “I’ll see how things go, but as it is right now, no, I won’t go to the next World Cup.”
Messi and Argentina won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a thrilling victory over Kylian Mbappe and France, which ended in a penalty shootout. It was Messi’s first World Cup triumph and Argentina’s first since 1986; he finished with seven goals — four of which came from the penalty spot — and three assists. He took home the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best performer.
Earlier this month, Messi announced that he’ll be joining Inter Miami CF once his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires on June 30. Inter Miami CF will be paying Messi roughly $53 million per season.
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