Valdano: 'Messi will play 2026 World Cup'
"When I interviewed before the World Cup 2022, Messi said he would play the fifth World Cup and no player has played the sixth World Cup. He said it was impossible. But he also said 'if I become the World Cup' world champion, I will keep my shirt until the next World Cup," said Valdano, a member of the Argentina team that won the 1986 World Cup.
Immediately after winning the championship in Qatar, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni also said he wanted Messi to defend the championship at the 2026 World Cup. According to the 42-year-old leader, Messi has the right to decide on his future, and if he wants, the shirt. number 10 will always be ready for you.
In Qatar, Messi led Argentina from a 1-2 defeat in the opening match against Saudi Arabia to a 4-2 victory in the final penalty shootout against France. On that journey, the 35-year-old striker contributed seven goals and three assists, winning the title of Best Player.
After the tournament, he announced that he wanted to continue playing for the team, but did not specify whether to attend the 2026 World Cup or not.
In the history of the World Cup, Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962 are the two rare teams to successfully defend the championship. In 1990, 1998 and 2022, three teams Argentina, Brazil and France all lost in the final immediately after the championship.
The 2026 World Cup will take place in three countries, USA, Canada and Mexico. This is the first tournament with 48 teams, an increase of 16 teams compared to the 2022 World Cup, and the first tournament to take place in three countries. If he attends, Messi will be 39 years old. He owns a record of playing 26 matches at World Cups, one more game than Lothar Matthaus's old record. He also has 13 goals at World Cups, three less than Miroslav Klose's record.
Before the 2022 World Cup, Messi owned a huge collection of achievements, including 10 La Liga, one Ligue 1, four Champions Leagues, seven Golden Balls, one Copa America and one Intercontinental Super Cup...
