Lionel Messi is undecided about playing in the 2026 World Cup.

Messi, the 38-year-old Argentine World Cup champion, acknowledged his health would be at the forefront of his decision to play in the next tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.

“Because of my age, the most logical thing is that I won’t make it. But well, we’re almost there so I’m excited and motivated to play it,” Messi said after scoring twice for Argentina against Venezuela in his final World Cup qualifier in his home country on Sept. 4.

“Like I always say, I go day by day, match by match. That’s it taking it day by day, going by how I feel. Day by day, trying to feel good and above all, being honest with myself,” Messi added.

“When I feel good, I enjoy it. But when I don’t, honestly, I don’t have a good time, so I prefer not to be there if I don't feel good. So, we’ll see. I haven’t made a decision about the World Cup.

Messi added: "Match by match, I’ll finish the season, then I’ll have preseason, and there will be six months left. So, we’ll see how I feel. Hopefully I’ll have a good preseason in 2026, and finish this MLS season well, and then I'll decide."

Messi’s last comment indicates he plans to sign a contract extension with Inter Miami, which USA TODAY Sports previously reported about ongoing negotiations.

Messi previously said the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which he led Argentina to victory, would be his last.

If Messi and longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) play in the 2026 World Cup, they would become the first players to play in six different World Cups.

Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, led Inter Miami to the 2023 Leagues Cup title shortly after his July 2023 arrival to Major League Soccer and the U.S.

Messi fueled Inter Miami to the best regular season in MLS history while winning MVP in 2024. However, Inter Miami was eliminated in the first round by Atlanta United in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs.

Inter Miami has fallen short for three trophies already in 2025, losing in the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Round of 16 in the FIFA Club World Cup, and most recently the 2025 Leagues Cup final.

Inter Miami has a chance to win the MLS Supporters’ Shield this season, while pursuing an MLS Cup title remains a goal for Messi and the South Florida club.

Still, injuries have been a major factor in Messi’s Inter Miami tenure, dealing with frequent upper leg injuries and an ankle injury that sidelined him for two months after the 2024 Copa America final.

Messi will return to Inter Miami, and won’t play with Argentina in their remaining World Cup qualifying match on Sept. 9 in Ecuador.

Messi could potentially participate in four more Argentina friendly matches later this year.

Argentina is planning to play two friendly matches in the United States between Oct. 6-14 with locations and opponents to be determined. These friendlies would coincide with Inter Miami’s MLS season, potentially creating a scheduling conflict for Messi.

Argentina will also play two friendly matches between Nov. 10-18 in Luanda, Angola, and Kerala, India, with opponents to be determined. These friendlies would fall under a FIFA international window.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lionel Messi undecided about 2026 World Cup: What he said after final match in Argentina

Reporting by Safid Deen, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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