Lionel Messi wants to play for Argentina in next year's World Cup, but he says he will listen to his body before deciding whether he can make that dream come true.
The 38-year-old superstar led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar and wants to be on the field when the Albiceleste defend the crown next year.
Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi told NBC News in an interview broadcast on Monday that he will see next year how his body feels before deciding on whether or not he can play in the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
"The truth is it's something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup and I would love to," said Messi, who turns 39 next June and plays for MLS side Inter Miami.
"I would like to be there, to be well and be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there. And I'm going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start pre-season next year with Inter [Miami] and see if I can really be 100 percent, if I can be useful to the group, to the national team, and then make a decision."
MLS sides, which have just entered the end-of-year play-offs, usually start pre-season in January. The World Cup is due to run June 11 to July 19.
Messi, who has been playing professionally since 2004, wants the chance for one more star turn on football's biggest stage – “todas las ganas,” in his own words.
"I'm really eager because it's a World Cup. We're coming off winning the last World Cup and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular because it's always a dream to play with the national team, especially in official competitions."
The Rosario-born superstar said winning the World Cup in 2022 was his “lifelong dream.”
“It’s true that it was the only thing missing at the professional level,” he admitted.
“I think it’s every player’s dream. When you ask a footballer what his dream is, it’s to be world champion.”
Messi, who debuted with Barcelona in La Liga at age 17, joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 when the Spanish side were hit by financial issues. and moved to MLS in 2023. He recently signed a new contract extending his stay with Inter Miami until the end of the 2028 season, when he would be 41.
"The truth is that I like everything about living here," Messi said of Miami.
"I spent a lot of time in Barcelona, which for me is an extraordinary city, where I grew up and had many spectacular moments, and which we miss a lot,” he told NBC’s Tom Llamas.
"But Miami is a city that allows us to live very well, that makes us enjoy life, that allows us to be calm, that allows the kids to be themselves and live day to day."
Messi has made 195 appearances for the Selección, scoring 114 goals.
Other idols
During the interview, Messi was asked about the other athletes he looked up to.
“For us Argentines, [Diego] Maradona was always our greatest idol and greatest admiration for everything he meant to us. I was little and saw him play live, Diego transcended everything,” said the Argentine skipper.
“When it comes to other sports, obviously I think the same thing happened with [Michael] Jordan. I really admire tennis players like [Roger] Federer, Rafa [Nadal] and [Novak] Djokovic… to name a few from basketball: LeBron [James], Steph [Curry], the best,” he said.
Messi also said he would like to see MLS authorities loosen restrictions for roster signings.
“Every team should have the opportunity to bring in players and sign whoever each team wants. Without limitations or rules for players to bring them in.
“I don't think that today all teams in the United States, all clubs, have the power to do that, and I think that if they were given the freedom, many more important players would come and help the growth of the United States,” he remarked.
– TIMES/AFP/NBC
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