Messi wants to defend his title at the 2026 World Cup

In a recent interview with NBC News, Argentine superstar Lionel Messi said he wants to defend the 2026 World Cup title with the Argentina team.

Lionel Messi (left) expressed his desire to defend the 2026 World Cup title with the Argentina team - Photo: Reuters

However, the prerequisite is that he must be 100% fit and in form.

Messi said: "Going to the World Cup is special. I want to go to the World Cup in the best shape and make an important contribution to the Argentina team. I will evaluate my physical condition every day and see if I can be 100% fit."

Messi joined Inter Miami after leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2023. Despite leaving the top flight, Messi is still in very good form. He scored 73 goals and had 37 assists in 83 matches for Inter Miami. A few days ago, Messi also won the "Golden Boot" award in Major League Soccer (MLS).

Messi has made 195 appearances for Argentina, scoring 114 goals. Messi added: "It's always a dream to wear the Argentina shirt, especially in official tournaments. We just won the last World Cup (Qatar 2022). And successfully defending this title on the pitch would be great."

Talking about the 2022 World Cup championship, Messi was still very emotional and said: "It was the dream of my life. This is also the only thing I lack at the professional level. I have been lucky enough to achieve everything, both individually and collectively. And I believe that is the dream of every player.

If you ask any player about their dream, they will tell you it is to become a world champion. Winning the World Cup gave me an incredible energy. It was an indescribable joy to become a world champion."

Now, Messi will focus all his energy on Inter Miami, the team competing in the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. He is eager to conquer the first MLS championship in his career.

At the same time, it is a farewell gift for two close teammates, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who will retire at the end of this season.

QUOC THANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/messi-muon-bao-ve-chuc-vo-dich-o-world-cup-2026-20251029103008531.htm