Messi would be 43 by the 2030 tournament, an age that makes Hamm’s cautious prediction understandable. Yet with Argentina set to host part of the opening stage, the prospect of one last World Cup on home soil could make continuing especially tempting.
Hamm’s point is not that Messi should play on at any cost. His career already stands on its own, she says; the uncertainty comes from how often he has defied expectations. A home crowd could add a powerful final chapter, but whether he wants or is able to pursue it remains an open question.
Hamm knows what a home World Cup can mean. She helped the United States win the 1999 Women’s World Cup, a landmark tournament that brought unprecedented attention to the women’s game. She later won Olympic gold in 1996 and 2004, ending her international career after the Athens Games.
That experience gives her perspective on the pull of playing in front of a home audience - and on what a tournament can leave behind beyond the result.
Hamm is also working with Dove on its Body Confident Sport programme ahead of the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The initiative says low body confidence contributes to many girls leaving sport. Hamm’s message is that football has room for different shapes and sizes, while teamwork can build confidence and communication skills.
She recalls that honest teammates helped her improve, including friends who told her there was “a better way to handle that.”
The next storyline is whether Messi’s appetite for one more challenge endures - and whether the chance to play in Argentina makes 2030 harder to turn down.