Messi has ´desire´ to play at 2026 World Cup, says Suarez

Lionel Messi wants to play at next year’s World Cup, according to the Argentine’s Inter Miami team-mate Luis Suarez.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner captained his country to glory in Qatar in 2022, after Lionel Scaloni’s side edged out France on penalties in the final.

La Albiceleste have already sealed their qualification for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, though it is not yet known if Messi will feature.

The forward will turn 39 while the tournament takes place, while 38-year-old Suarez stepped away from Uruguay duty last year.

Suarez is unsure if Messi will compete at the tournament, but believes the “desire” is there to do so.

When asked if he speaks about retirement with Messi, Suarez told El Pais: “No, no. We don’t talk like that. I know what he is like. Time will tell.

“We do talk [about retirement] jokingly, many times, but [Messi] also has that desire to play in next year’s World Cup.

“Obviously, after being away from the national team for a while, that desire is fading more on my side than on his.”

Messi is still in excellent shape.

Indeed, he has been directly involved in at least one goal in 18 of the 19 home matches he has appeared in with Miami in all competitions since the start of the 2024 season, including the last 12 in a row.

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— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) April 14, 2025

Suarez, whose contract with Miami expires at the end of this season, is undecided on his own playing future, though he does still have targets to reach.

The former Liverpool and Barcelona forward is closing in on 600 career goals.

“Time will tell how long I’ll be able to do it [for], but I still have that flame of wanting to play, of wanting to compete,” he said.

“As long as that flame is lit, I will want to continue competing until I can take it no longer. I don’t have a deadline of this [year] or the next. But as long as I’m still keen, still up to it and showing it, I’m going to continue enjoying it.

“Despite being 38 years old, I set my mind on reaching a figure which, for a Uruguayan footballer, would be something unique, something incredible, like finishing in the top 10 of the all-time leading goalscorers in football history.”

On his situation at club level, he added: “If I feel capable and [Inter Miami] see that I am capable of helping, they are willing [to renew].

“But [the season] has just started, we have been going for a couple of months, we are going to see how both the club and I finish the year, and then we will see what happens. I’m really excited and enjoying the growth of the team.”