Lionel Messi discussed several topics in an interview on "NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas" on Oct. 27, including his potential World Cup decision.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lionel Messi Confirms 2026 World Cup Involvement Plans. Lionel Messi has admitted he hopes to play with Argentina at the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

The two GOATs, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, are joined by Balon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona star Lamine Yamal on the FIFPRO World 11 short list.

A former teammate of Lionel Messi on Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2022–winning squad is set to return to soccer after serving a lengthy suspension for doping. On December 18, 2022, Argentina defeated France in a penalty shootout to capture the FIFA World Cup title.

Heading into the 2022 tournament in Qatar, Messi insisted that it would be his last international outing. Yet, Argentina’s triumph in the Middle East, coupled with the clear joy Messi reaps from playing with a squad which grew up adoring him, has prolonged his stay on the global stage.

Former India player Parthiv Patel has noted that Rohit Sharma would be keen to end his wait for an ODI World Cup Trophy in 2027.

India’s dream fixture has been derailed — and the reason behind it reveals the complexity of hosting a FIFA-sanctioned event. For weeks, excitement gripped Kerala as Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team were set to make their long-awaited return to India.

For much of Messi’s career, he carried the burden of matching Maradona’s triumphs. It wasn’t until he led Argentina to conquer its third World Cup in 2022—the country’s first since ’86—that he was finally able to escape Maradona’s shadow in his home country.