Lionel Messi is a reigning FIFA World Cup champion after winning the biggest prize in soccer with Argentina six months before joining Inter Miami.
The trophy that secured Messi’s status as the Greatest of all Time, the 37-year-old led his country to their third-ever world championship with the attacker putting on some historic performances in Argentina’s run to the World Cup.
With Messi struggling for Argentina at this summer’s Copa America, though, there’s a real chance that the Inter Miami captain might not feature for the South American giants in the 2026 World Cup, which is due to take place in the United States.
And Argentina legend Juan Roman Riquelme has now given his prediction on whether Messi will feature in the next World Cup.
Messi tipped to play for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup
Speaking to AZZ, the former Boca Juniors and FC Barcelona sensation tipped Messi to feature for Argentina one last time at the 2026 World Cup, where the Inter Miami forward will be 39-years-old when the competition rolls around.
With Messi in fine form this weekend on his Inter Miami return, there’s a real chance that Messi could play in one more World Cup before hanging up his boots for good, and Riquelme belives there’s a real chance that this dream could become a reality.
Riquelme said when asked if Messi could play at the 2026 World Cup: “Messi is reinventing himself, you never know what he can do, and I have no doubt that he will play in the next World Cup, he has to play. We will all be rooting for him to play.
“I don’t tease him too much, but we talk a lot. That’s why I think he’s going to play. He’s very good, it’s something that’s not normal. And to that, he adds that he really likes to compete. He’s won a lot and he still wants to keep winning.”
Messi ending his career winning the 2026 World Cup would be poetic
Messi has had the most illustrious career out of any player in the entire history of soccer, with the forward now in the final years with the sport in which nobody will match what the Argentine has achieved.
Which is why Messi ending his career winning the 2026 World Cup with Argentina would be the most poetic way ever for the forward to end his career, especially after some years at Inter Miami winning more trophies.
Indeed, Messi will want to end his career on a high having won everything there is to win, and lifting the World Cup a second game would be as fitting as end as there can be for the Greatest of all Time.