Former Real Madrid manager, Jorge Valdano, has insisted that Argentina captain Lionel Messi told him he would play in the next FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Ahead of and during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Messi maintained that the tournament would mark his last appearance in the competition.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward reiterated that after Argentina defeated France on penalties over the weekend to win this year’s World Cup in Qatar.
However, Valdano has revealed that Messi told him prior to the 2022 World Cup that he could target the 2026 FIFA World Cup if he emerged victorious in Qatar.
“When I interviewed him[Lionel Messi] before the World Cup, off camera, he told me that he was going to play in his fifth World Cup and that no footballer had played six; he told me that it was impossible, and he told me ‘If I am a World Champion, I will keep my shirt on until the next World Cup,” Valdano told Cadena COPE.
“We will see if Messi is capable. Football has shown that it is practically impossible to play in six World Cups.”