Messi at the 2026 World Cup: The last dance of the greatest player in history (and he could win another one)

Lionel Messi is 38 years old and the sole survivor from the Qatar 2022 squad. It took him months to confirm he would play in the USA World Cup. Now that he has, the question is: can he do it again? The numbers say yes. His age says maybe not.

Last September, Argentina's match against Venezuela was the last one Messi played at home as an international. The Monumental in Buenos Aires was filled with tears. People knew. He knew. Perhaps it was the farewell. And yet, here he is: Lionel Messi, turning 38 during the tournament, at his fifth World Cup.

The decision everyone was waiting for

For months, his manager Lionel Scaloni admitted publicly that Messi had 'not confirmed one hundred per cent' whether he would take part. The Argentine press was in a permanent state of tension. When he finally said yes, it was like a collective release. Argentina without Messi at the World Cup is unthinkable. Argentina with Messi at 38 is a miracle people want to witness.

Can he win another World Cup?

The statistics tell a surprising story. Messi scored 2 goals in qualifying. At Inter Miami, in the matches he plays — not all of them; he picks his minutes carefully — he remains a player in a different class. The issue is not talent. The issue is physical management: can he play 7 matches in 4 weeks at 38?

• Goals in qualifying: 2 in selected appearances
• Creative assists: still the most potent passer at the tournament by potential
• Physical risk: hasn't played back-to-back matches for his club since 2024
• Emotional factor: no player in history has been so driven by the prospect of a farewell

A legacy already set in stone

Whatever happens at the 2026 World Cup, Messi is already the greatest player in football history. The Qatar 2022 World Cup final — that 3-3 draw against France decided on penalties — is considered by many experts to be the greatest football match ever played. Repeating it would be a miracle of mythological proportions.

Predict Argentina's path in QuiniPrats

Do you think Argentina can do it again? Or do you think Messi will have a mediocre World Cup and retire with a heavy heart? In QuiniPrats you can stake your reputation as a football expert against your friends. Create a 2026 World Cup league and prove your predictions are better than Goldman Sachs's.