Lionel Messi, winner of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, has not decided his future with the Argentine national team, but he said that he is not likely to continue playing internationally until the next edition of the World Cup, which will be held in 2026 in America, Canada and Mexico.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker told the Argentine sports newspaper "Olé" today, Friday, that he will be 39 years old, and this may stand in his way from participating in the tournament that will be held after 3 years.

"I don't know, I've always said that because of my age, I think it's very difficult for me to be there," Messi said.

The Argentine captain clarified the conditions for continuing to lead the national team until the 2026 World Cup, saying, "I love playing football, I love what I do, as long as I'm fine and feel physically ready and enjoying myself, I will continue to play. I think it's still a long time until the next World Cup."

He continued, "I will see where my career goes and what I will do, and that depends on many things."

Lionel Messi and the 2022 World Cup 🎞️ pic.twitter.com/geELejkMxk

- Messi World (@M10GOAT) January 25, 2023

Messi crowned his impressive career last year when he led the Argentine national team to win the World Cup in Qatar.

"For me, this is precisely the end of my career, and I don't think there is a better ending," he said.

The Argentine captain expressed his hopes that Lionel Scaloni - who is currently negotiating with the Argentine Football Association - will remain coach of the country's national team.

"I hope he continues because I believe - regardless of everything - that he has shown that he is an important person for the national team and for the whole group that is beginning to mature with him," he said.

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The most important sports clip for the year 2022 from my photography ..


the best in the world # Messi wears a bisht from His Highness the Emir of # Qatar and raises the # World Cup in Lusail Stadium .. #Messi𓃵 pic.twitter.com/zR6VFkm5nH

- Ahmed Al-Ajlan (@ ahmad2man) February 3, 2023

Messi features

And about the possibility of Messi's continued brilliance in the stadiums until the World Cup 2026, Fahd Thani Al-Zaraa, a lecturer at the Asian Confederation and director of the Development Department of the Qatar Football Association, told Al-Jazeera Net that the Argentine star's "quality of performance" in terms of technical and physical aspects that he showed in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Eligible to continue bidding stadiums for several years.

Al-Zaraa confirms that Messi surprised everyone with his brilliance in 2022, even before his coronation in the World Cup in Qatar, at a time when some questioned his abilities, referring to his football end, due to several reasons, most notably his high level of physical fitness despite his relatively advanced age (35 years), which made him superior to The close individual control he is always exposed to, and in the World Cup in Qatar in particular, and he scored 7 goals as the second scorer after Kylian Mbappe (8 goals), in addition to his contribution to many crucial goals for his country.

Fahd Thani Al-Zaraa (communication sites)

Al-Zaraa adds that Messi's unique skills make him make a difference even in his lowest physical condition, because he is unique in his magic touches that he passes to his colleagues and puts him in front of the goal in a distinctive way, which we saw in the World Cup in Qatar and we see it in his French team, Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi still owes us an explanation of how he did this


to the 35 year old 🤔🐐


pic.twitter.com/GpNHGYcoPB

— Mohd |

(@AbuOmar_FCB) February 2, 2023

The Asian lecturer also points out that the presence of a great leader like Messi on the field gives some Argentine players, especially youngsters, confidence and pushes them to do their best on the field, as the team that benefits from large offensive spaces gathers around him as a result of the opposing defenders' focus on Messi's control.