Though Lionel Messi may be uncertain as to whether he will still be able to don Argentina's jersey in the 2026 World Cup, one thing's for sure: He wants Lionel Scaloni to remain at La Albiceleste's helm until then, regardless of the outcome.
The 35-year-old Messi led Argentina to the title in Qatar last December and wasn’t entirely sure if his fifth trip to the World Cup would be his last. The next edition will take place in Mexico, Canada and the United States when Messi is 39.
Messi told newspaper Ole in an interview published Thursday that he'd regularly said his age would make it difficult to play another World Cup.
"I love playing football, I love what I do and while I am feeling well and feel I am fit and continue to enjoy it, I will do it. But it seems to be too much until the next World Cup," he told the newspaper. "I have to see where my career goes, what I will do. It depends on many things."
In the near future, he suggested he wants to play in next year's Copa America in the U.S. to help Argentina defend its title.
"I will stay a little longer, I have to enjoy this," he said.
Scaloni is negotiating an extension of his contract with the Argentinian football federation and Messi thinks the coach should remain on the job.
"He is very important for the national team," Messi said. "To continue with this process would be spectacular."
Asked what it was like returning to his club Paris Saint-Germain after Argentina beat France on penalties to win the World Cup, Messi said he didn't have deep discussions about it with his teammate Kylian Mbappe, the French striker.
"One doesn't want to speak and bring the topic of the final," Messi said, recalling his own experience after losing the 2014 World Cup final to Germany in Brazil. "I was also on the other side, I lost a World Cup final and I didn't want to talk about it."
"Truth is there is no problem with Kylian, quite on the contrary," Messi said.
Messi is set to play for Argentina in friendlies to be scheduled in Buenos Aires in March to celebrate the team's third World Cup title with their fans.
