Lionel Messi Teammate Drops Major 2026 World Cup Update | OneFootball

Lionel Messi’s Argentine compatriot Nicolás Otamendi is confident that the global star will not miss the 2026 World Cup.

Messi’s involvement in the 23rd edition of the men’s tournament has been the subject of feverish debate since before the 2022 competition even got underway. The 38-year-old had previously insisted that the trip to Qatar would be his last outing on the international stage, yet Argentina’s triumph seems to have softened that stance.

Patience is what Messi has called for when discussing his future. “The truth is that when you start thinking about it, it’s a long time away but at the same time it’s going to pass quickly, no?,” he wondered aloud back in April.

“For me this year is going to be important, to be able to play with continuity, to feel good.”

Otamendi was more confident. “Obviously, as the World Cup gets closer, he will make his decision. But I don’t see Leo missing out on the World Cup,” the Benfica defender told Radio La Red this week.

Lionel Messi guided Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022. / IMAGO/ActionPictures

“Leo is Leo, the best player in soccer history,” Otamendi continued. “Right now, he’s living in the moment. He’s enjoying the Club World Cup. Leo’s focus is on continuing to compete, taking it month by month and seeing how he feels.

“He will make his decision based on how he feels physically, but you will never take away Leo’s desire to compete, to be there, to help the team. It’s in his DNA. Leo is different.”

Messi’s Inter Miami teammate and close friend Luis Suárez shared Otamendi’s confidence. “He [Messi] also has that desire to play in next year’s World Cup,” the Uruguayan striker told El Pais in April. “Obviously, after being away from the national team for a while, that desire is fading more on my side than on his, but we haven’t talked about [retirement] yet.”