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Lionel Messi declines to compete at the 2026 World Cup

Posted : 14 June 2023
Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina, made an announcement stating that he has no intentions of participating in the 2026 World Cup.
 
The 35-year-old Messi, who led Argentina to victory last year in Qatar, marking his fifth World Cup appearance, had consistently mentioned during the tournament that it would be his final one.
 
However, there was still hope among Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, Messi's teammates, and fans that the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner would reconsider and take part in the 2026 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
 
In an interview with Chinese sports outlet Titan Sports, as reported by the Efe News Agency, Messi responded to a question about the 2026 World Cup by saying, "I don't think so. [Qatar] was my last World Cup. I'll assess the situation, but currently, I don't plan on participating in the next World Cup."
 
Currently, Messi is in China with the Argentina national team for upcoming friendly matches against Australia and Indonesia on Thursday and four days later, respectively.
 
Last week, the former Barcelona superstar announced his decision to join Inter Miami CF in Major League Soccer once his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires on June 30. Messi played a significant role in the Qatar tournament, finally securing the only major honor that had eluded him throughout his career.
 
He scored seven goals in seven games, becoming the first player to score in every round of the same World Cup since the introduction of the round of 16 in 1986.
 
In the final against France, which ended in a thrilling penalty shootout, Messi scored twice, leading Argentina to their third World Cup title.
 
Additionally, he became the first player to win the Golden Ball award twice since its introduction in 1982 (he first won it in 2014).

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