Whether Jesus could be the Messiah without being God depends on one's understanding of both "Messiah" and "God." Different religions and denominations have varying beliefs about the nature of the Messiah and the nature of God.
In Judaism, the Messiah is a human leader who will restore the Jewish people and usher in an era of peace. The Messiah is not considered divine. Therefore, in the Jewish tradition, Jesus could be considered a Messiah if he fulfilled the Jewish prophecies of the Messiah, regardless of whether he was God. However, most Jewish people do not believe that Jesus fulfilled these prophecies.
In Christianity, Jesus is believed to be both the Messiah and God incarnate. Christians believe that Jesus fulfilled the Jewish prophecies of the Messiah through his life, death, and resurrection. They also believe that Jesus is part of the Trinity, along with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, in the Christian tradition, Jesus must be God in order to be the Messiah.