Will Messi play at 2026 World Cup? Argentina boss Scaloni gives honest response

Lionel Messi recently hinted he might miss out on the 2026 World Cup, but coach Lionel Scaloni has played down that claim, saying the star has time to make his decision.

Argentina qualified for next year's tournament in style, topping the South American qualifying group with one game left to play.

Messi played what he said was his final competitive home match in Argentina against Venezuela on Thursday, scoring twice in their 3-0 win.

He is the top scorer in South America's World Cup qualifiers with eight goals, but he will not feature against Ecuador in their final match as he prioritizes his fitness for the remainder of the MLS season.

After the game against Venezuela, Messi cryptically responded, "We'll see," when asked if he would be at the World Cup next year, also suggesting that his age may hinder him.

Despite this, Scaloni is hopeful his captain will be a part of the squad.

"I don't think it's right to put a percentage on it today because I honestly don't know," Scaloni explained.

"Many things can happen. We already have a core group of players; everyone knows that. From there, when we know how many spots we’ll have, we’ll make decisions.

"As for Leo, I haven’t talked to him about it. I only know what he said publicly, and he’s going to take his time with this decision.”