Lionel Messi has described the joy of lifting the World Cup with Argentina as a feeling as profound and unforgettable as the birth of his children, calling it the pinnacle of his career and a moment that completed his lifelong dream.

Speaking at the American Business Forum, where he was honoured with the "key to the city" by Miami's mayor, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner reflected on the emotions of Argentina's 2022 triumph in Qatar. Messi played a starring role throughout the tournament, scoring twice in the dramatic final against France before captaining his nation to glory and winning the Golden Ball as the best player.

"With all due respect, because it has nothing to do with it, but when I won the World Cup at the professional level, I had the same feeling as when my children were born," Messi said.

"It's a feeling that's hard to explain. It's so special and so big that anything I say falls short."

The Inter Miami forward also spoke about what the triumph meant for his country, describing it as the culmination of both personal and collective dreams.

"The way the country celebrated showed how much we needed and wanted this to happen again after so long. For me, it was special; winning the World Cup is the ultimate. After the World Cup, you can't ask for anything more," said Argentina's number 10.

"For a player, winning the World Cup is the ultimate achievement. It's like anyone in their job, any professional reaching the top. There's nothing more after that. And on top of that, I had been lucky enough to achieve everything before -- at club level, at the individual level.

"We had also won the Copa América with the national team. That was the missing piece. It was like closing out my entire career with that trophy," he added.

Despite achieving everything in the game, Messi continues to lead from the front. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has called him up for the national team's friendly against Angola on November 14, even as Inter Miami remain engaged in the MLS playoffs.

The 36-year-old, who has been named to the MLS Best XI and is the frontrunner for the league's MVP award, finished the regular season with 29 goals and 19 assists -- just one goal contribution shy of Carlos Vela's 2019 record of 49.

As for what lies ahead, Messi offered a brief reflection on the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. While not confirming his participation, he said, "I have very high expectations that the World Cup will be something extraordinary."