What’s the Update?
At 36 years old, the remarkable Argentine footballer continues to excel. In 2023, he added another Ballon d’Or trophy to his collection, now totaling eight. Messi also contributed to Inter Miami’s unprecedented victory in the Leagues Cup and is preparing for the upcoming Copa America tournament in 2024.
Messi has hinted that he will continue to play for his country until the 2026 World Cup, which is set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. FIFA president Gianni Infantino expressed his desire to see Messi continue playing beyond that point. During a CONMEBOL Legends match, Infantino talked about the World Cup and recalled the last tournament while planning for the next ones. He hopes to see Messi play in the next World Cup, as well as the ones in 2030 and 2034, whenever he wants. The 2026 World Cup is expected to be a huge success with it being the first 48-team tournament and hosted in America.
What’s in store for Messi next? The football superstar has already made an appearance in five World Cups, starting his journey in 2006 and finally winning the coveted trophy at Qatar 2022. He has also played 180 games for Argentina, scoring an impressive 106 goals, breaking records for his country along the way.
