Suarez lifts the lid on Messi's retirement plans ahead of next year's World Cup

Eight Ballon d'Or awards, 12 league titles, two Copa Americas and one World Cup... but Lionel Messi is not done quite yet.

That's according to the Argentina great's Inter Miami team-mate Luis Suarez who has opened up about Messi's future plans.

Messi, 37, who joined Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, has started the new MLS season in good form with eight goals in 10 games.

And it was reported last week that the Florida club, which is co-owned by David Beckham, were ready to offer him a one-year extension to his deal.

Messi, considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, finally captured the game's biggest prize when Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

He has previously been vague when quizzed on his intentions to play a part in his country's defence of their world crown at next summer's tournament.

'I've always said that things happen for a reason and I never get ahead of myself. I live day by day, I try to enjoy every single moment, and when the time comes to decide if I can be at the next World Cup, we'll see,' he said last year.

But, now, his Inter Miami team-mate Luis Suarez has lifted the lid on what Messi has been saying behind closed doors.

'Retirement? Leo Messi has that desire to play at the World Cup 2026 with Argentina,' the Uruguayan told Ovacion.

'Messi and I talked about retirement in a joking tone, but he's really looking forward to playing in next year's World Cup.

'It's hard to talk about a deadline, about an end. A football player has to prepare because he's not ready yet.

And on his own future, the 38-year-old former Liverpool striker added: 'Time will tell when I'll be ready, but I still have that burning desire to play, to compete.'

Argentina have already sealed qualification for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Other results in the South American qualifying group confirmed their place as one of the 48-teams in the tournament. They then celebrated by hammering bitter rivals Brazil 4-1 in Buenos Aires.

Messi missed that match, along with the qualifier against Uruguay which preceded it, due to an adductor muscle injury.