Will Lionel Messi play for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup?

Lionel Messi effectively completed football when he led Argentina to the World Cup in Qatar three-and-a-half years ago.

The Argentina legend scored seven goals in Argentina's unforgettable journey to glory, which culminated with a penalty shootout win over France in the final.

After ending their 32-year wait for their third World Cup triumph, La Albiceleste will attempt to become the first country to retain it since Brazil in 1962 when they head to North America this summer.  

The key question is: will Messi be available when Argentina face Algeria, Austria and Jordan in Group J?

Here, Sports Mole provides the latest information about whether the Inter Miami captain will feature in the upcoming tournament. 

Will Messi play in the 2026 World Cup?

Messi has played in each of Argentina's last four matches, including his country's first two fixtures in 2026. 

The forward came off the bench at half time of a 2-1 victory over Mauritania, before he found the net in a commanding 5-0 win against Zambia. 

However, he refused to publicly communicate a decision about whether he plans to play in the World Cup, despite admitting in December that he would "love to be there".

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni explained in March that he would do "everything" to ensure Messi is at the tournament.

Two months later, Scaloni then named Messi in his preliminary World Cup squad in what was a clear indication of the 38-year-old's plans. 

Any lingering doubt was erased when Argentina's all-time record goalscorer was selected in the final 26-man squad despite asking to be substituted in Inter Miami's final outing before the World Cup break.

Subsequent tests revealed that Messi had suffered from muscle fatigue in his left hamstring rather than any injury that could affect his World Cup participation. 

As a result, Messi is now set to feature in his sixth World Cup after making his debut at the age of 18 in the 2006 edition in Germany. 

However, Argentina are keen to exercise caution and manage Messi's workload in the build-up to the tournament.

As a result, Messi is unlikely to feature in the upcoming friendly against Honduras at Kyle Field on Saturday.

The Inter Miami star could be given minutes off the bench in Argentina's final warm-up match against Iceland on June 9, seven days before the country's World Cup opener against Algeria.