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Argentine football legend Juan Roman Riquelme believes Lionel Messi will participate in the next World Cup.
Argentine football legend Joan Roman Riquelme has revealed that he believes Lionel Messi will participate in the 2026 World Cup hosted by North American countries: the United States of America, Mexico and Canada.
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17:45 - 15.09.2024
Lamine Yamal: Barcelona fans dream of Messi after 4-1 rout against Girona
See why Barcelona fans think Lamine Yamal can emulate Lionel Messi after a 4-1 win against Girona.
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08:15 - 15.09.2024
Messi returns with 2 goals: Leads Inter Miami to 3-1 win against Philadelphia Union
After almost 3 months, Lionel Messi returned with 2 goals and an assist for Inter Miami in 3-1 win against Philadelphia Union.
Messi’s 2026 World Cup prospects
Following his triumph in Qatar 2022, Messi was expected to retire from the national team. However, he stayed on and has gone on to win one more Copa America as captain of the Albiceleste.
The diminutive forward has previously been quizzed about participating in the next global tourney, but he has never given a definitive answer. Lately, he left it open, stating that participation will be determined by sensations.
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What Riquelme said
Riquelme, who famously shares a birthday with Messi and was teammates with him in the national team, recently opined on the matter. According to him, he has a familiar relationship with the Inter Miami star and is confident he will lead the Albiceleste to the 2026 World Cup in a bid for their fourth Mundial.
"Messi is reinventing himself,” he said on the AZZ channel, per Goal. “You never know what he can do. And I have no doubt that he will play in the next World Cup; he has to play.
“We will all be rooting for him to play. I don't tease him too much, but we talk a lot. That's why I think he's going to play. He's very good, it's something that's not normal. And to that, he adds that he really likes to compete. He's won a lot and he still wants to keep winning."
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