Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Lionel Messi will continue playing for as long as he desires, dismissing any immediate thoughts of his retirement.
Heading into the 2026 World Cup, Scaloni emphasized that Messi retains complete control over his timeline and continues to perform at an elite level because of his unrelenting drive to win
The Argentina manager stated that even when Messi struggles on the pitch due to physical difficulties, his presence alone provides massive value to the team.
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“He will play until he wants to because we already know what he is and it is not surprising that he plays his sixth World Cup,” Scaloni told Diario olé.
“He continues to be the best because he always wants more and shows he wants more.
“Every decision we have made, we have discussed with him. It is useless for me to sit here and say that I decide: in his case, and I think it is deserved, I will always talk to him and ask him how he is, and we see if we reach an agreement.
“I think it has to be that way, because I repeat, he, even being on the pitch with a lot of difficulties, has given us a lot. So there are times when it is even better that he is in difficulty because of everything he generates.”
Messi is set to compete in an unprecedented sixth World Cup, a feat Scaloni views as entirely normal given Messi’s unmatched competitive hunger.
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The Inter Miami captain has been sidelined since May 24 due to muscle fatigue in his left hamstring, but is expected to regain full fitness in time for Argentina’s World Cup opener against Algeria on June 16, according to ESPN.
They will begin their World Cup campaign against Algeria in Kansas City on June 16, followed by group matches against Austria and Jordan later in the tournament.
