Argentina football team captain Lionel Messi has confirmed on Tuesday (June 13) that he will not play in the upcoming World Cup. Messi made the team champion under his captaincy. He said that he does not intend to play in the 2015 World Cup. The tournament in 2022 was his last. Messi was also voted the best player of the tournament last time in Qatar. For this he was given the Golden Ball.

Messi won the World Cup for the first time last year. Under his captaincy, the Argentine team reached the title match after 2014. In 2014, it was defeated by Germany in the final. This time Argentina captured the title by defeating France.

Messi has gone to China with the Argentina team to play a friendly match. There his team has to play against Australia on June 15 at Workers Stadium in Beijing. After this his team will go to Indonesia. There he will play a friendly match against the host nation on June 19 in Jakarta. Messi talked about the World Cup in a conversation with a newspaper in China itself.

Asked by Chinese newspaper Titan Sports whether he would play in the 2026 World Cup, Messi said, "I don't think so." This was my last World Cup. I'll see how things go, but not in theory. I will not go to the next World Cup. In 2026, the World Cup is to be jointly hosted by three countries. The tournament will be held in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said about Messi long ago, "Our doors are open for him." If he doesn't play, we will look for an alternative. I hope Messi will go to the next World Cup. I can see him there, but I think the first thing is to qualify.

Messi has played 174 matches for Argentina. During this he has scored 102 goals. 2021 and 2022 were special for Messi. He won three trophies for the country in these two years. Argentina captured the Copa America in 2021 under the captaincy of Messi. After that, the two best teams of Europe and South Africa, Argentina and Italy, also won the 'Finalissima' and then created history by winning the 2022 World Cup.