Messi to miss Olympics but leaves door open for 2026 World Cup

Lionel Messi (Pic: AFP)

Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi has confirmed in an interview with US broadcaster ESPN that he will not attempt to win a second gold medal with Argentina at the Paris Olympics this summer.

"I spoke with (Argentinian Olympic coach Javier) Mascherano, and we immediately agreed on the situation," Inter Miami forward Messi said in the interview broadcast on Wednesday. "It's a difficult moment, because there's the Copa America, and that would mean two or three consecutive months away from my club.

"At my age, I don't want to play everything and I need to make the right choices," added the former Barcelona star who was a member of Argentina's 2008 Olympic gold medal winning team.

Messi, who turns 37 on June 24, will be with defending champions Argentina at the Copa America from June 20 to July 14 in the United States, just a few weeks before the Olympics start on July 26. Messi, however, has not closed the door on taking part in a record-breaking sixth World Cup, to be held in 2026 between the US, Canada and Mexico. "It's great to have records and continue to achieve things but I won't take part in a World Cup just to say I've done six," said Messi.

"If I feel good and everything is in place for me to be there, fine, but I won't go just to go". "It's very difficult to imagine what can happen because it's still two years away. I don't need to commit right now to whether or not I'll be there."

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The record eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is nearing the sunset of his remarkable career. But before he decides to hang up his boots for one last time, he will have an opportunity to lift another Copa America title with Argentina.

As he continues to thrive at the international and club level, Messi addressed his future and admitted that he is not prepared to leave football.

"I'm not prepared to leave football, I did this all my life, I enjoy the training, the games. The fear that everything's is going to be over, it's always there. I think Inter Miami is going to be my last club," Messi told ESPN Argentina as quoted from Goal.com.

His compatriot Julian Alvarez previously addressed the potential future of the talismanic forward and the speculations about Messi being a part of Argentina's plans for the future.

"Let's hope so. He's going to decide until when, but we want him to be there, it's better," Alvarez told ESPN.

Messi has earned 180 caps for Argentina and has scored 106 goals in the international circuit. He is the third-highest goal-scorer in the international stage with only Ali Daei and Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of him in the scoring chart.

For Inter Miami he has 13 goals and 11 assists in 18 matches in the MLS. Earlier this year, he was crowned as the Best FIFA Men's 2023 player after beating Erling Halaand and Kylian Mbappe to secure the top spot for the third time in his illustrious career.

He became the first player to ever win the award while playing in the MLS.

All the top three players, Messi, Mbappe, and Halaand did not attend the ceremony in London. The 36-year-old stayed in Miami for their first preseason game of the 2024 campaign.

(With agency inputs)