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Lionel Scaloni says the decision on whether Lionel Messi will represent Argentina at the 2026 World Cup ultimately rests with the player himself, though the head coach will "do everything possible" to ensure his presence.
Messi is on track for a record-equaling sixth men's World Cup appearance, a milestone Cristiano Ronaldo is also poised to reach this year, with both having made their tournament debuts in 2006. However, unlike his long-standing rival, the eight-time Ballon d'Or holder has cast doubt over his own participation.
With fewer than 100 days remaining before the World Cup gets underway and Argentina chasing history as the first nation to defend the title since Brazil in 1962, Messi has yet to make up his mind.
"I'll do everything possible to make sure he's there," Scaloni told reporters ahead of Argentina's hastily organized friendly against Mauritania. "I think, for the sake of football, he should be there. Every Argentine wants to see him, and so does the rest of the world.
"Ultimately, it will be his call. His mindset, his mental state, his physical condition. Then we'll see whether he can play every game. He has earned the right to make that decision—there's no pressure from our side."
Back in September, Messi indicated he would approach his World Cup future "day by day, game by game." "This year we had so many matches, one after another. I just came off a short break, then suffered another setback," he said at the time.
Messi Facing New Challengers in March
The last-minute cancellation of the Finalissima—a clash between the champions of Europe and South America—due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East left Argentina scrambling to fill this international window.
Failing to arrange matches would have cost Scaloni and his coaching staff their final chance to evaluate players in a national team environment before announcing a preliminary World Cup roster. Finding available opponents proved difficult, as most nations had already locked in their March fixtures well in advance. That left Mauritania and Zambia, ranked 116th and 88th in the current FIFA World Rankings respectively, as the chosen opponents—both set to face Argentina at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires.
"Messi will feature in both matches, though whether he starts from the beginning remains to be seen," Scaloni confirmed.
Messi has appeared six times since Inter Miami's new season got underway in late February, with his most recent outing on March 22—netting in a 3–2 win over New York City. The 37-year-old, who will turn 39 during the World Cup, has completed the full 90 minutes in every appearance in 2026, though he was given a rest and left out of the Miami squad against Charlotte FC a fortnight ago.
Given that Messi continues to be involved with Argentina this deep into World Cup preparations, it would be a stunning turn of events if he ultimately chose to sit out the tournament.