Lionel Messi has said he hopes to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, while acknowledging that his age and physical condition will determine his role in defending Argentina’s 2022 title.

The 38-year-old recently extended his contract with Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami until 2028, indicating he is not yet ready to retire.

Speaking to NBC News, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner said he will evaluate his fitness next year before deciding on his participation in the tournament across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

“It’s something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup, and I would love to,” Messi said in the interview released on Monday.

“I would like to be there, to be well, and be an important part of helping my team, if I am there. I’m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter, and see if I can really be 100 percent, if I can be useful, and then make a decision.

“I’m really eager because it’s a World Cup. We’re coming off winning the last one, and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular, because it’s always a dream to play with the national team.”

Messi, who began his professional career with Barcelona at 17 in 2004, later played for Paris Saint-Germain before joining Inter Miami in 2023. His move to the MLS generated renewed interest in the league ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Although Messi has achieved numerous club and individual honours, international success had eluded him until winning the Copa America 2021, followed by Argentina’s victory over France on penalties to claim the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

“It was the dream of my life,” Messi said of the World Cup triumph.

“It was also true that it was the only thing missing at a professional level because I had been lucky enough to have achieved everything at an individual level, at a team level with Barcelona, and I think that’s every player’s dream. When you ask a player what their dream is, it’s to be world champion.”

Messi has featured in 195 matches for Argentina, scoring a record 114 goals. If he plays in 2026, it will be his sixth World Cup appearance.

With inputs from Al Jazeera