Messi keeps 2030 door open on his 39th birthday

Messi won't rule out 2030, "I will keep playing"

Lionel Messi spoke about the 2030 World Cup on Wednesday, and he did not close the door. "I don't know. The truth is, I'm not thinking about that right now," he told reporters when asked if he could compete in a tournament where Argentina will host a match as part of FIFA's centenary celebrations (1). "It seems a bit far off but, as I said, I'm living one day at a time and focused on the present. I will continue for some time, as long as I can contribute, feel good physically, and help my team-mates. I will keep playing" (1). He turns 41 the summer of 2030. The prospect of Messi in that tournament, on home soil, is now real enough that he would not kill the idea himself.

A surprise party, at 39

Messi turned 39 on Wednesday and his teammates made sure he felt it. Rodrigo De Paul, Lisandro Martínez, Leandro Paredes, Nicolás Otamendi, Giovani Lo Celso, Nahuel Molina and others threw him a surprise celebration at the Argentina camp (2). Messi posted afterwards: "Last night we started with a beautiful surprise. Thank you!!" (2). The group looks tight ahead of the Austria match.

Rotation incoming against Jordan

Argentina have already qualified for the knockout rounds and will rotate heavily against Jordan, with Scaloni confirming the plan: "The standings don't change anything for us, we would all take the field to win both matches. Now we analyze the situation. The idea is to give opportunities to the majority of players who deserve to play" (3). Key players returning from injury, including Gonzalo Montiel, Nicolás Tagliafico, and Cristian Romero, are expected to get minutes to build rhythm ahead of the knockout stages (3). Dibu Martínez, Julián Álvarez, and others in the core group may rest.

Fan reactions

The Enzo Fernández to Real Madrid rumors are back, and Chelsea fans are bracing for a big number. One report claims the last price quoted by Chelsea was £120m, with personal terms never an issue (reddit). Meanwhile, the neutral football world is fixated on a potential Argentina vs. Portugal quarterfinal, Ronaldo himself called a World Cup clash with Messi "awesome" (reddit). A bracket collision in the knockouts would make it the biggest match of the tournament, and the possibility is already sparking debate about what a meeting between the two, at this stage, would mean for both legacies.