It's 2026. If you’re still arguing about whether Lionel Messi is the greatest to ever do it, you’re honestly just fighting math at this point. The guy is 38 years old. Most players his age are doing commentary or playing in legends' matches with a slight beer belly. Instead, Messi just spent 2025 bagging 29 goals and 19 assists in 28 games for Inter Miami.
He didn't just play; he dominated. He led the Herons to their first-ever MLS Cup. He won the league MVP for the second year in a row. It’s wild.
The conversation around Lionel Messi football player used to be about what he couldn't do. People said he couldn't win with Argentina. Then he won the Copa América. Twice. They said he couldn't win a World Cup. Then he went to Qatar and put on a clinic. Now, as we sit in January 2026, the goalposts have shifted again. Now we’re asking if he can actually defend the world title this summer.
The Miami Project: Not a Retirement Home
A lot of people thought Messi moving to Florida was basically a soft retirement. They expected him to drink yerba mate on the beach and maybe jog for 60 minutes once a week. They were wrong.
Miami is currently the center of the footballing universe. With the move to the new Miami Freedom Park stadium happening this year, the club just locked him down with a contract extension through 2028. He’ll be 41 by the time that deal ends.
Last season was statistically ridiculous.
- 29 regular-season goals (MLS Golden Boot).
- 48 total goal contributions in 28 matches.
- First back-to-back MVP in MLS history.
Watching him now is different than the Barcelona days. He doesn't sprint for 90 minutes. He walks. He scans. He waits for a defender to blink, and then—bang—the ball is in the back of the net or on the toe of a teammate. It’s predatory. It’s also incredibly efficient.
Can Lionel Messi actually play in the 2026 World Cup?
This is the big one. Argentina is in Group J with Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. Lionel Scaloni, the coach who basically rebuilt the national team around Messi’s late-career evolution, hasn't officially confirmed the roster yet, but let's be real. If Messi is healthy, he's going.
He’s already the most decorated player ever with 46 team trophies (some say 47 depending on how you count the early Barca stuff). Winning another World Cup as captain? That’s unheard of. No one has ever captained a team to two separate World Cup trophies.
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Messi’s been pretty vocal about his fitness lately. He told Luzu TV recently that it's "day by day." If he feels good, he plays. If his body says no, he steps aside. But based on the 15 goal contributions he notched just in the 2025 playoffs, his body seems to be saying "yes" quite loudly.
Records on the line this year
- 900 Career Goals: He’s sitting at 896. He’ll hit this before Valentine’s Day at this rate.
- The Free-Kick Crown: He has 69. The record is 77 (held by Juninho Pernambucano). It’s a stretch, but Messi scored 10 in a single year back in 2018.
- The 50 Trophy Mark: Between the Finalissima and the domestic cups, he could become the first player to hit 50 major honors.
What happens after the boots are hung up?
Kinda surprisingly, Messi has ruled out coaching. "I don't see myself as a coach," he said. He wants to be an owner. He’s already got a minority stake in Inter Miami baked into his contract, and he’s helping Luis Suarez with a club in Uruguay called Deportivo LSM.
He wants to follow the David Beckham path. Honestly, it makes sense. Why stress about tactics on a rainy Tuesday when you can just own the team? He’s clearly thinking about the business side of the game, mentioning his interest in the American Business Forum last year.
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Why the "Lionel Messi football player" label is evolving
We used to define him by his dribbling. Then his scoring. Now, it's about his influence. He has fundamentally changed how soccer is viewed in North America. MLS isn't a "retirement league" anymore; it’s a league where the best player in history is still setting records.
The nuance here is that Messi isn't just a player anymore—he's an institution. Whether it’s the sell-out crowds in Vancouver or the jersey sales that keep Adidas' servers crashing, the "Messi effect" is a real economic force.
How to watch and track him in 2026
If you want to keep up with the final act of this story, you need to look at three specific windows:
- The MLS Season Opener: Watch how he integrates with the new signings at Miami Freedom Park.
- The Finalissima (Argentina vs. Spain): A massive clash against Lamine Yamal, the kid everyone is calling the "next Messi."
- The World Cup June/July: This is the big one. If Argentina makes it to the final at MetLife Stadium, it might be the most-watched sporting event in history.
Actionable Insight: If you’re planning on seeing him play in person this year, book your tickets now. With the move to the new stadium and the World Cup hype, prices are only going one way. Also, keep an eye on his free-kick count—watching him chase that specific record is going to be one of the more underrated storylines of the 2026 season.