MIAMI — Lionel Messi wants to play for Argentina in next year’s World Cup, but he says he will listen to his body before deciding whether he can make that dream come true.
The 38-year-old striker for Inter Miami of MLS led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title and yearns to be on the field when the “Albiceleste” defend the crown next year in North America.
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi told NBC News in an interview broadcast that he will see next year how his body feels before deciding on whether or not he can play in the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“It’s something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup and I would love to,” said Messi, who turns 39 next June.
“I would like to be there, to be well and be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there.
“And I’m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter and see if I can really be 100 per cent, if I can be useful to the group, to the national team, and then make a decision,” Messi added according to AFP
Messi, who has been playing professionally since 2004, wants the chance for one more star turn on football’s biggest stage.
“I’m really eager because it’s a World Cup. We’re coming off winning the last World Cup and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular because it’s always a dream to play with the national team, especially in official competitions.”
Messi, who debuted with Barcelona in LaLiga at age 17, joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and moved to MLS in 2023.
“The truth is that I like everything about living here,” Messi said of Miami.
“I spent a lot of time in Barcelona, which for me is an extraordinary city, where I grew up and had many spectacular moments, and which we miss a lot.
“But Miami is a city that allows us to live very well, that makes us enjoy life, that allows us to be calm, that allows the kids to be themselves and live day to day.”
Messi has 195 appearances for the Argentine national team, scoring 114 goals.
Messi said that MLS must loosen its spending restrictions in order to become a top league in the world of soccer.
In the interview, Messi was asked if he felt that soccer could become as popular in the US as American sports like football, baseball, and basketball. Messi said he thinks the sport could get there, but that teams need to have more freedom first.
“Every team should have the opportunity to bring in players and sign whoever each team wants — without limitations or rules for players to bring them in,” Messi said.
“I don’t think that today all teams in the United States, all clubs, have the power to do that, and I think that if they were given the freedom, many more important players would come and help the growth of the United States.”
