The World Cup is undoubtedly the highest stage for a professional football player. Less than a year after the end of the Qatar World Cup, the 2026 World Cup qualifiers are about to start again, and players are returning to the national team to prepare, including Messi, who has made great contributions to Argentina's victory in the previous World Cup.
It is reported that on the international match day starting this week, the World Cup South American qualifiers will start first. Defending champions Argentina will face Ecuador in their first game on September 7th, and then have another away game against Bolivia on September 12th. Messi's World Cup defense journey has thus begun.
Two years ago in August, Messi transferred from Barcelona to Paris Saint Germain and left Camp Nou for the first time to join a new team. At that time, he was just a veteran who had already reached his peak, and no one could have imagined that he would usher in a second peak of his career.
To be honest, Messi didn't have a very pleasant time at Paris Saint Germain, so he is very excited about the World Cup to be held at the end of 2022. This may be his last chance to perform
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In the end, in Qatar, Messi, with the help of his teammates such as Di Maria, Martinez, Enzo, and others, won the "World Cup" as he wished, sweeping away the haze of recent years, fulfilling his long-standing wish and once again reaching the pinnacle of his career.
This summer, Messi's contract expired and he left Paris Saint Germain to join MLB Miami International Club. Many fans believe that this is Messi's signal of retirement, as everyone will gradually distance themselves from this world superstar.
However, Messi did not disappear from Miami and completely faded out of the game. Instead, his excellent record of scoring almost every game sparked a Miami heat wave this summer.
At Miami International, Messi is both the organizer and terminator of the attack, carrying the team that was originally at the bottom of the points forward with his own shoulders.
Currently, Messi has helped Miami International win the North American League Cup championship and reach the final of the US Open Cup. In the American Professional League games, Messi also led the team out of the bottom spot with excellent performance, and even had the potential to use the remaining games to advance to the playoffs. In the playoffs, he still has a chance to create a miracle of winning the championship.
Amidst the support of the stars, the 2026 World Cup South American qualifiers began. Messi, who had originally planned to retire from the national team, was selected for the Argentine team's roster without hesitation and will compete in the upcoming two matches.
Leaving the line is not a problem
After achieving success and fame, Messi continued to be selected for the Argentine team. Although he may not be able to persist until participating in the main match three years later, his role goes far beyond sending the "Blue and White Legion" to the finals.
The World Cup South American qualifiers can be considered the fairest match because there are only ten teams in the entire South American region. Over the course of two years, each team has to compete against the other nine teams in two home and away matches, ultimately ranking based on points.
Due to the expansion of the 2026 World Cup, the previously fiercely competitive South American region has also benefited from six qualifying spots and one playoff spot. In previous years, there were only four qualifying spots in the South American region, and the competition was quite fierce.
