‘The Truth Is’—Lionel Messi Addresses Calls to Return for 2030 World Cup

The 2022 champion turned 39 on Wednesday but continues to dominate.

Lionel Messi shows no sign of slowing down. | Grzegorz Wajda/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

Lionel Messi hasn’t yet ruled out returning to the World Cup in 2030, which would be a record-breaking seventh time for a male player at the greatest event on the soccer calendar.

Messi is currently competing at his sixth World Cup, a competition record for the men’s tournament he jointly holds with Cristiano Ronaldo and Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa—although the latter hasn’t got on the pitch every time he’s been selected.

Ochoa is hanging up his gloves after this World Cup and Ronaldo has hinted he doesn’t expect to carry on playing beyond 2027 when his current Al Nassr contract expires. There had also been doubts about Messi making it to 2030, given his persistent hesitance at committing even to playing in 2026.

Compete against the world. | SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

But Messi has taken this World Cup by storm. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Wednesday, has scored all five of Argentina’s goals at the tournament. As a result, he now owns the all-time record for most World Cup goals, with 18.

Messi would turn 43 during the next World Cup in four years’ time, which in itself would be a new record for the oldest outfield player in the men’s tournament, surpassing Cameroon’s Roger Milla, who was 42 in 1994. His club career with Inter Miami will continue for another two years at least, with a contract to 2028. By then, Messi will already be 41 and 2030 isn’t much further away.

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Messi Plans to ‘Continue for Some Time’

Nothing is concrete at this moment but, for Messi, another World Cup is not off the table.

“I don’t know. The truth is, I’m not thinking about that right now. It seems a bit far off but, as I said, I’m living one day at a time and focused on the present,” he told reporters. “I will continue for some time, as long as I can contribute, feel good physically, and help my teammates ... I will keep playing.”

Unless he’s prepared to set a date at which his career will end, it’s the only answer Messi can give. And while it’s not a commitment one way or the other, fans can at least dream there will be one more ‘Last Dance’ when it was expected that this year would be it.

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Argentina Co-Hosting in 2030

Argentina hasn’t hosted a World Cup in Messi’s lifetime—the last was 1978. | Peter Robinson/PA Images/Getty Images

There’s an obvious reason for Messi to push himself to play on and make it to 2030, which is the chance to play a World Cup match on home turf in Argentina.

The 2030 World Cup is primarily being held in the western Mediterranean region, shared three ways across Spain, Portugal and Morocco. However, being the centenary edition celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the very first World Cup in 1930 means extra one-off co-hosts.

Argentina hasn’t hosted a World Cup match since 1978, the one and only time the tournament has visited the country. But one of three ‘Centenary’ matches will be held in Buenos Aires, at Estadio Monumental, in tribute to Argentina’s role as runner-up in the inaugural World Cup.

The two other ‘Centenary’ matches will be hosted by Uruguay, the 1930 champion, and Paraguay, location of CONMEBOL’s headquarters. After the three opening matches, the rest of the tournament will move across the Atlantic Ocean to Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

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