‘Lionel Messi has made MLS his playground’ - Argentine GOAT tipped to illuminate 2026 World Cup after proving with Inter Miami that he still has ‘special X-factor’

Messi has stopped short of confirming his participation at that event, as the new MLS season will not get underway until the spring, but the evergreen 39-year-old is being tipped to lead the defence of a global title that he helped to capture at Qatar 2022.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is full of confidence at present after landing a domestic crown in the United States and enhancing his standing as the most decorated player of all-time.

Messi recorded 43 goals through 49 appearances last season, becoming the first man to go back-to-back on the MVP front in MLS, and is showing no sign of slowing down after committing to a new contract through 2028.

Ex-Manchester United striker Yorke, who is currently manager of the Trinidad & Tobago national team and keeps a close eye on events in North America, has told PokerScout: “Lionel Messi has made MLS his playground. When you start as a kid, you have all your mates around you, you're just playing football and enjoying yourself. You're still the best player, picking everybody up, and everyone is running around, getting you the ball.

“He seems like he's in that playground again. Even though he's coming to the end of his career, he's still in that little playground where everyone is kind of running around. He is still, obviously, a fantastic player.

“When you have that kind of ability, sometimes you don't have to do too much. He's never been the most workmanlike professional, but his ability is unquestionably the best in the world. It's huge to admire the consistency he continues to bring.

“Still deceptive, still has a little bit left in the locker. You'd probably think this was going to be the last rodeo for him and he would want to go out with a bang.

“Don't write him off just because he's got that special X-factor that he can still produce a bit of magic. It'd be interesting to see how he does get on in the World Cup because the level of the World Cup compared to where we are in the MLS is not quite the same.

“So you'd be interested to see where he's at with these young players being a little bit more aggressive towards him. But still, undoubtedly, he's still the best player in the world with how he goes about it.

“In Miami he's embraced it and he's loving life. So yeah, I look forward to seeing how he gets on because he's still one of the best players to watch.”

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While Yorke continues to be amazed by Messi’s exploits in the States, others have suggested that the competition level there is not high enough for the Argentine to enter the next World Cup finals in peak condition.

Terry Phelan, who spent time in America with Charleston Battery during his playing days, told GOAL recently: “With Messi, if he really wants to get that appetite, I think he needs to go somewhere that he’s going to get better competition for himself. It’s too easy. You look at his stats, you look at videos, it’s like PlayStation for him at the moment. It’s not healthy.

“He’s gone over there, shirts have been sold, revenue has been built, Miami can go and build a big new stadium. They will always be there or thereabouts, but he has got to think about what he’s going to do with the World Cup if he is going to play with Argentina.”

Messi will not be seeking a change of scenery any time soon, having agreed fresh terms in South Florida, and is an interested observer as David Beckham and his fellow Inter Miami co-owners work through recruitment plans ahead of the 2026 MLS campaign.