Messi's Unstoppable Chase: Will World Cup 2026 Be His Sixth Star Moment?
3 octobre 2025
Messi's World Cup Ambition and the Adidas Campaign
Is Lionel Messi ready for the World Cup in America? The Argentine captain and Inter Miami forward fans the flames of debate about his international future as the 2026 tournament approaches.
The World Cup 2026 will be staged across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from mid June to July, turning the continent into a football festival that fans won’t want to miss.
Adidas unveiled the official ball for the event, and Messi dominates the campaign as the central figure, a symbolic hint that the legend may still chase global glory for a sixth World Cup appearance.
The advertisement features a roll call of trophy-winning heroes from different eras, including Paul Pogba (2018), Toni Kroos (2014), Xavi (2010), Alessandro Del Piero (2006), Kaká (2002), Zinedine Zidane (1998), and Cafu (1994).
Alongside the legends, a new generation of stars shines with the World Cup ball: Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo, Jude Bellingham from England, the young Spanish talent Din Hösen, Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães and Gabriel Martinelli, plus Gabriel Skili, Mohamed Salah, and Florian Wirtz among others.
Messi’s return to the advertising spotlight has sparked questions about his international future, especially after recent remarks following Argentina’s qualification for 2026, suggesting next year could bring a pivotal decision.
The conversation intensifies as his contract with Inter Miami nears its end, leaving fans to wonder whether he will stay in MLS, return to Europe, or consider retirement.
Meanwhile, the career numbers continue to shine. Messi has tallied 962 club goals in 781 appearances, counting his youth days at Barcelona when he scored 11 in 32 matches.
With Barcelona’s first team, he netted 672 goals in 778 appearances from 2004 to 2021 before moving to Paris Saint‑Germain, where he added 32 goals in 75 matches over two seasons.
Since joining Inter Miami in 2023, he has added 66 goals in 77 matches, underscoring that age has done little to dull his drive or precision.
On the international stage, Messi has 130 goals in 217 appearances for Argentina. He scored 14 goals in 18 matches for the youth side that won the 2005 World Youth Championship in the Netherlands, and he contributed two goals in five Olympics appearances in Beijing 2008, where Argentina took gold.
For the senior national team, he sits at 114 goals in 194 caps, becoming Argentina’s all‑time top scorer and building a tally that, when added to club totals, reaches 911 goals in 1,181 official matches.
World Cup journeys span five editions from 2006 to 2022, totaling 26 matches and 13 goals. He began with a single goal in three games in 2006, went without a goal in 2010, struck four in 2014 to propel Argentina to the final, had a muted 2018, and exploded with seven goals in Qatar 2022 to help win the title.
The Copa America chapter is similarly storied: seven editions from 2007 to 2024, with three finals losses followed by titles in 2021 and 2024. He finished those campaigns with 14 goals in 39 appearances, highlighted by five goals in the centennial 2016 event in the United States.
Today, Messi stands at a crossroads. One path hints at continuing his club adventure and possibly adding another World Cup chapter, while another acknowledges the looming question of what happens next as he nears 39 at the start of the next tournament.
Regardless of the future, Messi remains a global icon whose numbers and trophies tell a story unlikely to be repeated for generations. And if destiny ever changes his course, you can bet the ball will still find a way to kiss the back of the net—and the crowd will still beg for more. Now, for the two punchlines you didn’t know you needed: 1) Messi doesn’t chase defenders; defenders chase Messi. 2) If football were a library, Messi would own the shelf labeled “Unlimited.”
