Argentina’s superstar Lionel Messi said he would look to defend the World Cup title if he is 100% fit. Messi has struggled with injuries in the recent past and said he will take a call on his World Cup participation next year.

After winning the FIFA World Cup in 2022 in Qatar, Messi had said that this would be last World Cup event. However, he wanted to continue to be part of the champion team.

Messi said he would take part in the quadrennial event, which will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, if he is able to play a key role in La Albiceleste’s success.

“Well, the truth is that yes, it’s something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup,” Messi said in an interview with NBC News that aired Monday. “And I would like to be there. To feel well and to be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there.

“I am going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter [Miami] and see if I can really be 100%. I’m really eager because it’s the World Cup. We’re coming off winning the last World Cup, and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular because it’s always a dream to play with the national team, especially in official competitions, so hopefully God will allow me to do it once again.”

“I’m trying to feel good and, above all, being honest with myself. When I feel good, I enjoy it, but when I don’t, honestly, I don’t have a good time, so I prefer not to be there if I don’t feel good,” Messi said after a World Cup qualifying win over Venezuela in September. “So we’ll see. I haven’t made a decision about the World Cup. I’ll finish the season, then I’ll have preseason, and there will be six months left. So, we’ll see how I feel.

“Hopefully, I’ll have a good preseason in 2026 and finish this MLS season well, and then I’ll decide.”

Messi recently clinched the 2025 MLS Golden Boot after recording 29 goals in 28 regular season games and thus he has been in top form.