Lionel Scaloni and Argentina are now facing the near-impossible task that every other World Cup champion before them has faced: finding a way to prepare for the second round. It was a task that most of the others before them had failed.
It's a difficult balance for any coach, as four years after the World Cup is all about figuring out which new faces can take part and which old faces still have something to behold. keep.
Didier Deschamps and France tried their best to reach the final four years after winning the tournament, but that was the exception, not the rule. Often, that second go turns out to be a disaster as coaches often struggle to know when to cut ties with a generation of legends. That task will become even more difficult for Scaloni's Argentina as all involved ponder the future of what is perhaps the greatest of all time.
On Thursday night, Argentina will begin qualifying for the 2026 tournament. However, given the current situation, it is unclear whether the great Lionel Messi will attend this tournament.
He's here for this camp, for the games against Ecuador and Bolivia, and it looks like he's determined to play against Argentina in the near future. After all, the Copa America is approaching and Messi seems determined to defend that title. Messi certainly has the ability and drive, but at some point either of those things will start to fade. And that brings us to the big question: how long can Argentina trust their legendary star to continue to be a legend?
Legendary performance
We've all seen it so there's no need to dig into it. What Messi achieved in Qatar will go down in history and depending on who you ask, it cemented his place as the best player to ever play the sport.
After years of frustration, Messi heroically led Argentina to their coveted World Cup title. He won the tournament's Golden Ball, becoming the first player to score in every knockout match. He scored twice in the famous final against France before scoring in the penalty shootout, helping his country end a 36-year wait for the World Cup trophy.
In the following months, he continued to represent Argentina in the country's post-tournament celebrations. He made his long-awaited return to Argentina as world champion in March, scoring 100 goals in two friendlies in tribute to Argentina's heroism.
When those games are over, attention is on the 2026 World Cup, and when that cycle begins, Messi's quality remains undiminished. In the following months, he continued to represent Argentina in the country's post-match scene. tournament celebration. He made his long-awaited return to Argentina as world champion in March, scoring 100 goals in two friendlies in tribute to Argentina's heroism.
When those games are over, attention is on the 2026 World Cup, and when that cycle begins, Messi's quality remains undiminished.
Strong form in new tournament
The world has watched Messi make the much-discussed move to Inter Miami, and the world continues to watch him make MLS his own personal playground.
In 11 games in all competitions, Messi has 11 goals and a trophy to his name, a first in the club's short history. He also made the Herons vying for another trophy, having secured a spot in the US Open Cup final, and made the rest of the tournament somewhat convinced the Argentinian could lead Inter Miami, Last team before that, came a miracle. run to the playoffs.
Now, this comes with obvious caveats. MLS cannot be compared with Ligue 1 or La Liga. The League Cup is not the Champions League. The quality of defense is at least not as good as Europe.
However, the player is less than a year away from becoming one of the most impressive players of all time at the World Cup. He is still one of the best players in the world, although maybe not anymore and with his current form there is no doubt that he is still Argentina's most important player.
The question, however, is how long this will remain true.
Ready to retire...
Messi has left Argentina once. After the Copa America Centenario defeat, Messi announced his resignation. The whole of Argentina will be grateful for this emotional and short-lived statement, as Messi is sure to return to lead Argentina to glory.
However, the inevitable end is approaching and Messi himself knows it.
Messi told Diario Ole in July: "Because of this age, it will be difficult to qualify for 2026. “I love playing football and even if I feel fit and excited, I will continue. It seems like a very long time until the next World Cup, but that depends on how my career develops."
That same month, he confirmed to TV Publica that he was starting to think about taking a break from international competition.
"Honestly, I don't know until when," he said. “I think it will happen when it has to. Having achieved everything recently, all that remains is to enjoy. God will speak when that time comes.
“Logically, given my age, I'm sure it will happen soon. But I don't know exactly when the right time will be. I think every day, enjoy all that is beautiful. We went through very difficult times in the national team. We were lucky enough to be World Cup and Copa America champions. It's time to take advantage of it."
However, it seems Messi is not expected to be involved when Argentina defends the 2026 World Cup. He looks set to help Argentina defend the Copa America next summer, but it could very well be their last major task. he. all over the world.
"I don't think so," he told Titan Sports. "[Qatar] is my last World Cup. I'll see how it goes, but with the current situation, no, I won't be in the next World Cup."
Or maybe not?
Messi will clearly have the final say on when and where he ends his career, but Argentine officials still can't imagine life without him.
Argentine Football Federation president Claudio Tapia said he hoped Messi could deliver one last surprise, adding that he hoped the legendary striker could be persuaded to stay for another cycle.
Speaking at the Sports Leaders Summit, Tapia said: "He always wants more. He never leaves you. He always surprises you, he wants more. You can imagine it. How can I not imagine it? I wish he was there. With the existing conditions, he can easily attend the 2026 World Cup. "[Luka] Modric did it for his team, [Andres] Iniesta did it for Barcelona. It depends on him, how he feels. I see him playing in the World Cup, playing in whatever position he wants, he can really do it, it depends on what he wants. I dream about it."
Adding to this possibility is the next World Cup venue: the United States. With the choice to go to MLS, Messi, whether voluntarily or unknowingly, has affirmed himself as the new face of American football. Over the next few years, he will continue to represent the sport in the United States, as MLS hopes he will take the league to the next level.
Messi's contract with Inter Miami runs until 2025, which means he could very well leave the MLS before the next World Cup. However, if his MLS journey continues as it did when it began and if he can continue to play at the level he has established himself so far, he may be convinced to help land his country for the last time in pursuit of a historic opportunity to turn back. backside. Integrating young people
The job of a national team coach is to constantly refresh the squad and Scaloni has certainly started that process.
“What happened is now over. It was great, but now we have to move on," Scaloni said. “The DNA of Argentine players is to always compete and win. It's going to be harder now but this shirt, this badge and this country requires you to keep improving.
“We build the squad based on the best possible lineup,” he continued. "If there are World Cup winners that's fine, but if not, it's the players who want a spot in the team. We will play with the best we have. .
In preparation for the inevitable
generational change, Scaloni's latest squad consists of 33 players, nine of which are aged 23 or under. Among them are World Cup champions like Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez and Thiago Almada, but also rising stars like Facundo Buonanotte, Alejandro Garnacho and Alan Velasco. The team has a total of four players who have not been introduced: Velasco, Bruno Zapelli, Lucas Esqivel and Lucas Beltran. Almada and Velasco recently faced Messi at club level, as Messi's Inter Miami beat Almada's Atlanta United in the League Cup group stage. The young midfielder remains one of Argentina's most talented young stars and was the youngest player in the Qatar squad last winter.
In the round of 16, Messi and Velasco then went head-to-head in an intense eight-goal tie that Messi won on penalties, both of the Argentinian players scoring before swapping shirts after the game. Apparently Velasco impressed Messi that day, as did Scaloni, who called him up to the first team amid rumors Velasco could join the Under-23 team.
The others are on their way to the exit
Messi is the most notable veteran of the Argentina team, but he's not the only World Cup champion who hasn't been around for so long. “No one can sleep, this shirt and logo means continuous improvement and we have a good chance of continuing to do well. The players are doing well, we have a base that has been with us for a long time and we are adding players that we believe can improve the team and make it difficult for the players. others.
In Scaloni's 26-man squad in Qatar, there are 10 players who have participated in the tournament over the age of 30. One of them is of course Messi, while goalkeepers Emi Martinez, Franco Armani and Geronimo Rulli are also on the list. Off the field players such as Nicolas Otamendi, Angel Di Maria, Papu Gomez, Marcos Acuna and Nicolas Tagliafico are also likely to look forward to their final game in an Argentina shirt.
As for the 33-man squad for the upcoming knockout round, there are eight players over the age of 30. Germany's Pezzella is the only player who has not won the World Cup, with Otamendi and Di Maria along with Messi as the most experienced members of the team.
Otamendi and Di Maria have recently taken a step back in their club careers, with Di Maria joining Benfica this summer. With the Copa America approaching, they will most likely stay until next summer's tournament, but it is clear that Scaloni is looking for new players across the pitch as Argentina prepares to defend the title.
The way forward for the new generation
This week's World Cup qualifiers are the beginning of a long and exhausting journey for each CONMEBOL team.
World Cup qualifiers will begin this week, when Argentina meet Ecuador and Bolivia, and will run until October 25. As usual, each team will play a total of 18 matches, playing against the remaining 9 teams at home and away.
The road got a little easier with the Open World Cup, with six teams entering the tournament and one winning a play-off spot, but if you know anything about South American football, you know the matches. This will never be easy.
In the middle of it all is the Copa America, of course, with Argentina needing to defend that title before they can really focus on defending their World Cup crown. This tournament will take place from June 20 to July 14 and bring together 16 teams from CONCACAF and CONMEBOL.
With that in mind, the new faces of Argentina will have many opportunities to prove they belong. The older generation will also have plenty of opportunities to prove that they still have a role to play.
Rebuilding the national team is an inexact science and many coaches have failed to master the science. Scaloni will have a chance in the next few years, with or without Messi, as Argentina will now begin to prepare for what is to come.
