At the time of writing, there are 692 days until the 2026 World Cup - hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada - officially begins. For Lionel Messi fans, this wait will seem like an eternity and ultimately, might represent a bridge too far for the diminutive Argentine when it comes to his participation.
What is there left to win?
When weighing up this equation, the question is: how much desire does Messi have to play in football’s greatest global showpiece after just winning it, and is he willing to meet his extraordinarily high standards of training for the next 700 days having achieved everything there is to?
The reality is that walking away might seem like an enticing option after winning the Copa America in July. Indeed, Messi currently sits at the top of the international game having won back-to-back major trophies.
It’s hard to imagine that it will get better than this and the likelihood of Argentina defending their World Cup trophy is, realistically speaking, not a given.
Argentina's chances of defending the World Cup
This view is backed up in the latest 2026 World Cup outright betting odds with La Albiceleste priced at 8/1 to go all the way. Of course, it’s not impossible but the rise of a young Spanish side that has just won the European Championships (EUROs) makes matters challenging for Messi and Argentina.
Still, football fans who think Argentina can repeat their heroics from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar can access these free bet offers. Bookmakers such as Tote, CopyBet, and Betfred are offering as much as £50 in free bets which can be used in the World Cup outright market.
Impossible is Nothing pic.twitter.com/3Wnzu5G5Ux
— adidas Football (@adidasfootball) December 18, 2022
The truth is that confidence in Argentina’s ability to win the 2026 World Cup will naturally depend on whether Messi captains his country or not. So, what might Messi decide?
The one record left?
While it’s impossible to say for certain, there is one achievement that is still up for grabs: playing in a record-breaking sixth World Cup. As fate would have it, the only other active player currently able to achieve this feat is Cristiano Ronaldo.
Trabalhar para o pleno! 💪 pic.twitter.com/KB4ipkjDV4
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) June 24, 2024
You get the sense that this record might mean more to Ronaldo than Messi, which is why we have yet to hear about the Portuguese superstar’s intentions for the upcoming World Cup. This contrasts with his definitive answer regarding his final appearance at the EUROs after Portugal’s quarter-final exit with Ronaldo categorically saying, “without a doubt.”
In short, Ronaldo seems to have set his sights on the 2026 World Cup despite being 41 when it starts. However, his age is unlikely to jeopardise his chances of selection as long as Roberto Martinez remains in charge of the national team.
The Spaniard chose to play Ronaldo in every minute of every game at EURO 2024 which indicates that he’s happy to continue to build his side around Portugal’s all-time leading goal scorer, even if the public might be at growing odds with this decision.
The situation around Messi’s role for Argentina is slightly different as Lionel Scaloni doesn’t have to find a way to accommodate the forward. Put another way, without Messi, Argentina are considerably weaker which might not be the case for Ronaldo and Portugal.
What this essentially means is that Messi might be persuaded to prolong any international retirement even though he will turn 39 during the 2026 World Cup.
Overall, Messi might not factor in a record sixth appearance into this World Cup thinking but might feel obliged to honour the wishes of those in the national team who want the 2026 spectacle to be his final rodeo.
As a sidenote, should Messi decide to then he will give himself one last chance of finally winning the World Cup’s Golden Boot which is a personal accolade that has evaded him so far.
Again, it’s worth noting that it's unlikely that the potential of winning this award will feature in Messi’s discussions with those closest to him as to whether he should carry on.
The verdict
Messi appears thoroughly content with his career achievements and radiates a sense of fulfillment. Conversely, Ronaldo still seems driven by a need to prove himself. While it’s entirely possible that fans may witness these two legends compete one last time on the global stage, it increasingly seems likely that only one of them will make it to the 2026 World Cup.