The Copa America is taking place in the USA alongside the European Championship. The tournament could shed light on whether Lionel Messi will play a World Cup after all. The Argentinian has once again left his participation open
Was the final win against France 2022 really Lionel Messi’s last World Cup game? Lisandro Martinez hopes that the 36-year-old has changed his mind. “We don’t see it that way,” said the defender, who made five appearances in Qatar. “We see him happy and he’s still at an impressive level. I can reveal that much.” For him, Messi is still “the best player in the world. Having him in the team is a big advantage. “
Messi had made it clear after winning the title that he would not be back in 2026, when he will be 38. He later proved fickle and left his participation open. In an interview with Infobae, he spoke again about the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico. “It depends on how I feel, how I feel physically and how realistic I am with myself,” said the Inter Miami striker. “And on whether I’m up to the task of competing and helping the teammates next to me. “
Copa opens with Argentina
He will be able to showcase his skills at the upcoming Copa America in the USA, which kicks off on June 21 with defending champions Argentina taking on Canada. “Now we have another challenge with the national team, we want to try to win another Copa America,” said Messi, who also looked back on the World Cup victory in Qatar. “For me it was a feeling of fulfillment, I achieved everything. “
He has the same with FC Barcelona. Messi makes no secret of the fact that his great rivals are now several steps ahead, even though he also brought his former coach into the game. Who is the best team in the world? “If you talk about results, then it’s Madrid. If you talk about the game, I personally like Guardiola’s City. I think every Guardiola team is special because of the way he trains and the way he makes his teams play.”
Messi talks about psychological help
He also spoke openly about his personal problems during his time in Catalonia, when he occasionally sought psychological help. “I had never tried it, I was very averse to it – I didn’t like it. I’m a person who keeps everything to myself and I swallow both the good and the bad,” Messi gave an insight into his mental life. “But when I was there, it did me a lot of good. I liked it a lot, it helped me a lot. “
