Messi completed football in 2022 — why he’s still with Argentina in 2026

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has included Lionel Messi in his 2026 World Cup squad even though the captain is not "fully fit." That decision was far from a shock: Messi could have closed his international career on the ultimate high after winning the World Cup in 2022, a prize that had long been his primary objective.

What he produced in Qatar felt almost supernatural. At 35 he "ran rings around players 15 years his junior," with Josko Gvardiol admitting, "Tomorrow I will be able to tell the children that I marked Messi for 90 minutes," and Australia's Keanu Baccus saying, "He looks fake on the field...

it's surreal how good he actually is." Under pressure after the shock loss to Saudi Arabia, Messi made the crucial breakthrough against Mexico and went on to become the first man to score in the group stage, last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. After lifting the trophy he acknowledged what it meant to him: "I was lucky to have achieved everything in this career...

Argentina

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