Argentina’s captain, Lionel Messi, has expressed his desire to extend his international career, aiming to participate in the next year’s Copa America held in the United States. Previously, the 36-year-old football star had remained non-committal about his future with the Albiceleste, even mentioning in June that he felt he was nearing the end of his career.
While Messi is eager to continue playing in the short term, he views the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico as a more distant possibility. In a recent interview shared on social media, Messi stated, “I still don’t think about it, it’s far away. I’m thinking about the Copa America, and I want to do well. And it will be right here in the United States. It’s going to be beautiful. We already had the centenary [edition of the Copa America in 2016] here too. We lost the final [to Chile], but the process was beautiful. After that, I’ll see how I’m doing.”
Since joining Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS) on a free transfer in July, Messi has been in remarkable form, scoring 11 goals in 12 appearances. In August, he led the Florida-based club to victory in the Leagues Cup, securing their first trophy and revitalizing their performance in the MLS. Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami, while the club was at the bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference standings, has given them a chance to reach the playoffs.
In a wide-ranging interview, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star expressed his desire to remain involved in football even after retiring as a player. Messi described football as a job he loves, saying, “I have responsibilities and targets, but it is still something that I enjoy doing. What will I do next? I don’t know. I would like to be a sports director, to be with young people and teach.”
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