Lionel Messi — Dunya Kupasi 2026 Oyuncu Profili

General Information

One of the greatest legends in world football history, Lionel Messi, continues to mesmerize on football pitches even at the age of 39. The captain of the Argentina National Team, Messi currently plays for MLS club Inter Miami. Having completed the biggest gap in his career by winning the 2022 World Cup, Messi still creates great uncertainty regarding the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Argentine superstar, who has broken countless records throughout his career, will make his final decision about whether to participate in the 2026 World Cup by closely monitoring his physical condition. Expressing his eagerness to participate with the words "Being in the World Cup is extraordinary and I really want that. I want to be there, to be in good shape, and to make an important contribution to my team," Messi will make his final decision at the beginning of the 2025-2026 season based on his training performance.

2026 World Cup Preparations

Participation Decision and Physical Condition

Messi, who will turn 39 in June 2026, has postponed his retirement by signing a 3-year contract extension with Inter Miami. However, the legendary footballer, who states that his physical condition will be of critical importance for World Cup participation, does not want to make this decision hastily.

Argentina Head Coach Lionel Scaloni also indicated that their approach to this situation is patient, stating that "Messi has not yet made a definitive decision and they are not in a hurry." This uncertainty also affects the team's preparation process and necessitates working on alternative plans.

Championship Defense Chances

Messi displays a cautious perspective regarding Argentina's chances of defending the championship in 2026. While expressing his confidence in the team's quality with the words "We have a very good squad and we will try to win the cup again," he particularly emphasizes the difficulties of the tournament.

"In the World Cup, every detail is very important, the smallest thing can eliminate you from the tournament. Every team can challenge you. You can be eliminated by hitting the post or lose on penalties," says Messi, also sharing lessons learned from the 2022 final: "Even though we won the 2022 final on penalties, we were better against both the Netherlands and France, but the result was still decided by penalties."

Career Statistics

Category	Value
National Team Matches	195
National Team Goals	114
World Cup Participation	5 (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)
World Cup Championships	1 (2022)
2022 World Cup Performance	7 matches - 7 goals
Current Club	Inter Miami
Contract Status	Extended until 2027

Betting Perspective

2026 World Cup Odds

The uncertainty about whether Messi will participate in the 2026 World Cup is causing major fluctuations in betting markets. The fact that the participation decision depends on his physical condition significantly affects both top scorer and MVP odds.

Top Scorer Bets: Considering Messi's likelihood of participation, betting sites generally offer high odds. A 39-year-old footballer becoming top scorer would be a rarely seen situation in history.

MVP Bets: While the possibility of Messi, who was selected as the tournament's best player in 2022, becoming MVP again is considered low due to his age, medium-level odds are given considering his experience and leadership qualities.

Team Success Odds

Argentina's chances of defending the championship largely depend on Messi's participation. Messi draws attention to the tournament's difficulty by emphasizing the presence of strong teams like Spain, France, England, Brazil, and Germany. This situation questions Argentina's status as favorites in the betting market.

Current Status and Future Plans

Messi, whose performance at Inter Miami is closely monitored, continues to make important contributions in his club career. The 3-year contract extension shows his intention to end his career in America, but the World Cup fire still burns within him.

About the 2022 World Cup victory, Messi says "It was the purpose of my life. It was the only thing missing professionally because I had the chance to achieve everything individually and with Barcelona as a team," not hiding his desire to repeat this success.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Will Messi participate in the 2026 World Cup?

Messi has stated that he is eager to participate but will make his final decision based on his physical condition. He will decide at the beginning of the 2025-2026 season based on his training performance.

Can Argentina defend the championship in 2026?

While Messi expresses confidence in the team's quality, he displays a cautious approach by emphasizing the difficulties of the tournament. He particularly mentions the presence of strong rivals like Spain, France, England, Brazil, and Germany.

What is Messi's national team career like?

Messi has played 195 matches in an Argentina shirt and scored 114 goals. In the 2022 World Cup, he scored 7 goals in 7 matches, winning the championship and being selected as the tournament's best player.