Inter Miami CF captain Lionel Messi hopes to be defending Argentina 's FIFA World Cup title in the upcoming 2026 edition of the tournament, though he has yet to make a final decision on whether or not he'll play.

For now, one of the game's biggest stars said he's taking it one day at a time and plans on playing only if he's 100% fit and can contribute in an important way for Argentina.

"Well, the truth is that yes, it's something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup," Messi said in an interview with NBC News that aired Monday. "And I would like to be there. To feel well and to be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there.

"I am going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter [Miami] and see if I can really be 100%

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