Lionel Messi on 2026 World Cup: ‘I would like to be there’

Lionel Messi is hopeful he'll be playing for Argentina to help defend its World Cup title when soccer’s biggest event comes to North America next summer

Lionel Messi is hopeful he'll be playing for Argentina to help defend its World Cup title when soccer’s biggest event comes to North America next summer.

Speaking with NBC News’ Tom Llamas, Messi said he will see how his body feels next year before choosing whether to play.

“It’s something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup, and I would love to,” Messi said, though he admitted his age — he will be 39 next June — is a factor.