The countdown has begun for the FIFA World Cup 2026that will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada. With only eight months to go, many national teams have already secured their spots, too Argentina. However, Lionel Messi has yet to make an official decision on whether he will participate, and now a former one Barcelona teammate has offered his opinion.
In a recent interview with The image, Javier Saviola was asked if he believes Messi will be available for the foreseeable future World Cup. “I always try to imagine myself in his shoes,” began the 43-year-old former player. “I don’t think even Leo knows yet.”
However, Saviola quickly made his own position clear. “I think he will go to the World Cup; I am more than sure of that,” he said. “He is playing and it is clear that he wants to build confidence and get minutes so that he is in top form for the World Cup. I see that he is motivated, committed and enjoying himself.”
The former striker added that Messi deserves a proper farewell to the national team. “I feel like we are close to the end of a beautiful story,” he said. “I hope he gets the kind of ending that is worth everything he gave us. After winning the World Cup, after making us all happy – not just the Argentinians, but the entire football world that Leo wanted to see win.”
Javier Saviola plays for Barcelona in 2003.
Finally, Saviola reflected on the legacy Messi has created for Argentine football over the past two decades. “Especially for us as a country After Diego (Maradona) we thought we would never see a player like him again – and then Leo came along,” he said. “We’ll have to see who comes next.”
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Who is Javier Saviola?
There are few players as qualified as Javier Saviola to speak on this subject. He was an important figure in Argentine football for over fifteen years, where he first rose to fame River plate for FC Barcelona paid about $40 million to sign him.
At the Catalan club, Saviola scored 70 goals in 168 appearances, although he was never quite able to secure a starring role. He went on to play for clubs, among others Real Madrid, AS Monaco, Sevilla, Benfica, And Malaga before retiring from River Plate in 2015.
During his best years, Saviola was also a fixture at the Argentina national team. He played alongside Lionel Messi for a number of years, most notably at the club 2006 World Cup in Germany – Messi’s first and Saviola’s only. That same year, they were also teammates at Barcelona until Saviola’s departure in mid-2007.
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Will Messi play in the 2026 World Cup?
Despite still being a key figure for Argentina with just over six months until the World Cup, Lionel Messi retains a degree of uncertainty over his participation. “Given my age it would be logical not to make it. But I am hopeful, motivated and as always I take it day by day, match by match.” he said in September.
That’s a fair assessment considering Messi will turn 39 during the tournament – a rare age for an outfield player, especially in a competitive national team like Argentina. But Messi is no ordinary case, and as the tournament approaches, the chances of seeing him at the 2026 World Cup appear to be increasing.
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