Football superstar and Argentina’s world cup-winning captain Lionel Messi’s latest Instagram story has set the internet ablaze with rumours of him possibly playing in the next FIFA World Cup. The Argentinian had earlier said that the 2022 Qatar World Cup final against France was his last appearance for his country at least in World Cup.

In his latest Instagram story, Messi, however, seems to drop a hint that he’ll come back to play in the next edition of the tournament in 2026. In the story, Messi is donning the iconic No. 10 Argentina jersey once worn by the country’s legend, Diego Maradona. Have a look at the photos below:

The story, as soon as put up by Messi, sent his fans across the world into a frenzy and speculations about an incredulous return for him started doing rounds on the internet. The fans even went on to call his stint with Inter Miami in the USA’s Major League Soccer (MLS) as a step to prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Notably, North American countries of the USA, Mexico and Canada will jointly host the next edition of the quadrennial event.

Messi, who has played in five World Cups in his career, won the last and only one to complete a glittering career during which he scored 103 goals in 175 games. The 36-year-old also has a rich legacy in club football in which he played 578 games before going to the USA and scored a whopping 496 goals.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner had said during the Qatar World Cup that the wait for the next event would be too much. “It’s many years for the next one and I don’t think I’ll be able to do it. And to finish like this, it’s the best,” Messi had said.

“It’s all well and good (the records), but the important thing is to be able to achieve the group objective, which is the most beautiful thing of all,” he had added.