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Will Lionel Messi retire after 2026 World Cup?
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- Will Lionel Messi retire after 2026 World Cup?
Lionel Messi and Argentina survived what could've been a colossal upset in the Round of 32, scraping by Cabo Verde 3-2 thanks to a late goal from Diney Borges . The reigning champion Argentines are now facing Egypt for a spot in the quarterfinals.
It's been another superb World Cup for the 39-year-old Messi. He's tied with Norway 's Erling Haaland and France 's Kylian Mbappe in goals with seven, and he has a strong chance to take the lead against Egypt.
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Messi is operating at the top of his game, but it's fair to question how long he can do it considering the length between World Cups and his age. Here's what we know about his playing future.
Will Lionel Messi retire after 2026 World Cup?
Messi hasn't explicitly stated his plans for the future, but Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni recently hinted Messi's international career may be far from over.
"He'll keep playing as long as he wants because we already know what he's capable of," Scaloni told Olé . "It's no surprise that he's playing in his sixth World Cup. How could that be a surprise? What is surprising is that he's won only four titles with the national team."
What a treat another Messi World Cup would be.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Will Lionel Messi retire after 2026 World Cup?
