When the final whistle blew in Qatar, Lionel Messi fell to his knees in a state of catharsis. It took a penalty shootout against France, but he had finally led Argentina to a FIFA World Cup title, one of the few trophies he’d not won through his career.

Soccer fans around the world eagerly await Lionel Messi ’s decision on playing in the 2026 World Cup. The wait could continue until the end of this year. Messi, the Argentine World Cup champion and Inter Miami star, said he thinks about playing in the next World Cup but will first consider his health before reaching a final decision.

Next summer’s World Cup is on Lionel Messi’s mind but he is yet to make a final decision over whether he will play in it or not. Messi will turn 38 during the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico and had previously said in Qatar in 2022 that that competition — where he led Argentina to victory — would be “his last”.