Lionel Messi Says He Will “Not Participate” in 2026 FIFA World Cup

Argentine Lionel Messi, Qatar 2022 World Cup champion, revealed on Tuesday that he will not participate “in principle” in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, during an interview with Chinese media.
Messi, 35, said in an interview with Titan Sports, in response to a question about whether he would participate in the next edition in the United States, Canada and Mexico: “I have said several times, I do not think so. It was (2022) my last World Cup, and now I will see.” How is it going, but as a matter of principle, I don’t think I will participate in the next World Cup.”
The world champion is currently in Beijing to participate Thursday in a friendly match with his country’s national team against Australia.
And Messi previously hinted last February that he would be absent from the upcoming finals.
“It will be difficult given my age,” he said in an interview with the Argentine newspaper “Oli”. He will then be close to 39.
The Argentine star, who arrived in Beijing on Saturday, will lead the world champions against Socceroos at the Beijing Workers’ Stadium, which has a capacity of 68,000 spectators.
His arrival caused excitement in the country and the ticket price for the match quickly reached 4,800 yuan (620 euros).
The world champion also touched on the possibility of winning the Golden Ball for the eighth time in his career, as it is expected that the competition will be between him and the Norwegian Erling Haaland, who achieved the hat-trick in his first season with Manchester City.
“I have always said that the individual awards are not the most important thing to me, but the group awards have always been the most important thing,” he said in this regard.
He added, “The most important award was the World Cup, this award is the best for me, the truth is that at this stage of my career, if it comes, then it is good, and if it does not come, then there is no problem.”