Lionel Messi, the Argentine soccer superstar, announced on Tuesday that he has no plans to participate in the 2026 World Cup. This was a huge disappointment for millions of football fans around the world who had hoped that Messi would be able to continue his brilliant form and take part in the tournament.
Messi is one of the greatest footballers of all time, having won seven Ballon d’Or awards and captaining Argentina to glory at the World Cup last year. Although those close to him – including coach Lionel Scaloni and his teammates – remained hopeful that he would feature at 2026’s edition of the tournament, it is now clear that this will not be happening.
This news comes as a major blow not only to Argentina but also for football fans across the globe who were looking forward to seeing one of their idols in action once again. However, despite Messi’s decision not to play in 2026, there is still hope that he could make one final return to international duty with Argentina before then – possibly at some other major tournament before then.
This would give supporters one more chance to see Messi in an Argentina jersey before potentially retiring from international duty altogether – an opportunity which would surely be welcomed with open arms by many. Whether Messi decides to do this or not remains unclear, however even if he does make a comeback it could well be his last match in a World Cup setting due to his advancing age.
The fact is that Messi will soon turn 35 years old, it would come as no surprise if this was indeed his last outing on the world stage; something which could be remembered fondly by generations of fans for years after its occurrence. If you are interested in Messi jerseys 2023/24 and other peripherals, you can find out more by clicking here.
Ultimately while Lionel Messi’s decision not feature in 2026’s World Cup was certainly disappointing for millions worldwide it doesn’t necessarily mean that we have seen the last of him wearing an Argentina shirt just yet; something which could possibly bring joy back into global markets once more and leave lasting memories for future generations should it come about.