Europe’s biggest stars now faces the unthinkable — his dream of featuring in the tournament may be slipping away after a devastating injury blow.

Lionel Messi discussed several topics in an interview on "NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas" on Oct. 27, including his potential World Cup decision.

The World Cup winner extended his MLS contract with Inter Miami through 2028 — "I'm happy living in Miami, as is my family, and honestly, the decision was easy.""

Messi's teammate, Sergio Busquets, is third in the league with over $8.8 million in compensation. The 2010 World Cup winner will retire at the end of this season. Midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s new Miami teammate, has a $1.5 million salary and $3,619,320 in total compensation.

Heading into the 2022 tournament in Qatar, Messi insisted that it would be his last international outing. Yet, Argentina’s triumph in the Middle East, coupled with the clear joy Messi reaps from playing with a squad which grew up adoring him, has prolonged his stay on the global stage.

Former India player Parthiv Patel has noted that Rohit Sharma would be keen to end his wait for an ODI World Cup Trophy in 2027.

Beyond November, Argentina already has friendly matches lined up against Mexico and Honduras in the United States. These games will serve as the official send-off before the 2026 World Cup kicks off, allowing Lionel Scaloni to fine-tune tactics and finalize the squad that will represent the country in Qatar.