They say that family and friends are the ones who know you best. That’s why the words of a friend, teammate, and now coach of Lionel Messi have had such an impact.
Amid uncertainty about the presence of the ’10’ in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Javier Mascherano, coach of Inter Miami and former teammate on the Argentine national team and Barcelona, has no doubt that Leo will play in his sixth tournament.
Mascherano gives his opinion on Messi’s participation in the World Cup
On Saturday, January 31, Inter Miami played its second game of the 2026 preseason. Messi and company visited the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, Colombia, to face Atlético Nacional, which ended in a 2-1 victory for Mascherano’s team.
After the victory, the coach spoke to the press, where he was asked about one of the biggest unknowns ahead of one of soccer’s most important events: the presence of his star player in the World Cup. The question has kept fans on tenterhooks, but Mascherano was brief and emphatic in his response:
Yes, why not?
His response not only doubled down on the bet, but also reflected the blind faith he has in his former teammate. Javier and Leo have played a total of 414 games together, making them the players who have shared the field most often officially, and they currently share their daily lives at Inter Miami.
This provides a unique perspective, and for this reason, Mascherano’s words have had a strong impact on fans, who couldn’t help but get excited about the possibility of seeing the ’10’ play in another World Cup and defend the title won in Qatar 2022.
In addition, ‘Masche’ referred to Argentina’s group in the World Cup, alongside Austria, Algeria, and Jordan, assuring that the team “will face it in the best way possible because it has been competing very well for a long time and has extraordinary players.” Along the same lines, Javier also stressed the importance of listening to the players and managing their physical workload, assuring that “no one knows their bodies better than they [the players] do.”
The Argentine national team and Messi were crowned world champions after a nail-biting penalty shootout against Kylian Mbappé’s France, ending a 36-year drought. Now, with his sights set on the tournament to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, Lionel could make history if he decides to participate.
Leo and Cristiano Ronaldo would be the only two players in history to play in six consecutive World Cups.
However, despite the fans’ excitement, the 38-year-old captain has not officially confirmed his participation in the tournament. Despite this, he has not closed the door on the World Cup: “I want to feel physically well, to be sure that I can help. I don’t want to be a burden to my teammates,” he previously told Sport.
In the meantime, all that remains is to wait, but the words of his coach and friend offer a glimmer of hope to fans.
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