The Last Dance: Messi, the Hamstring, and One Final Shot at History
WORLD CUP 2026 · ARGENTINA FEATURE · THE NUMBER 10
At 38, with a muscle scare behind him and Algeria ahead, Lionel Messi prepares for what is almost certainly his final World Cup.
Four years ago in Qatar, Lionel Messi finally held the World Cup trophy. He wept. The football world wept with him. It was supposed to be the perfect ending. Instead, it became the setup for one more chapter – and this one, set in North America, may be the most compelling of all.
The anxiety began on May 24. Messi went down in the 72nd minute of Inter Miami’s match against Philadelphia Union clutching his thigh. The diagnosis – muscular overload in his left hamstring – was designed to reassure. For two weeks, the world watched every training session for signs of a limp.
“Leo is working very well in training and he can get minutes already in the friendlies.” – Lionel Scaloni, Argentina head coach
The recovery came faster than feared. By early June, Messi had rejoined full Argentina training in Kansas City. In their final warmup against Iceland, he came on with 20 minutes remaining and – of course – converted a penalty. Classic Messi. Crisis managed, statement made.
He is expected to start against Algeria on June 16, in what will be his sixth World Cup – a record he has held since 2022. Argentina enter as defending champions and tournament favourites alongside France and Spain, built once again around the 38-year-old who has already settled every argument about his legacy.
So why come back? Because the greatest players never really choose when they leave. The game tells them. And the game hasn’t told Messi yet. Whatever happens this summer – in the group stages, the knockouts, perhaps a final – every minute he plays deserves to be watched. This is the last dance.
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