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Nobody would have blamed Lionel Messi for hanging up his boots after scaling his ultimate peak in Qatar four years ago, leading Argentina to World Cup glory for the first time since 1986.
Yet rather than departing on the grandest of stages, the man considered by the vast majority to be the greatest soccer player of all time is pressing on toward another World Cup cycle.
Lionel Scaloni's squad will look to defend their title across North America, and while Argentina have shown they can operate without their talismanic playmaker, Messi is set to be their central figure once again this summer — even if Scaloni suggests his No. 10 has yet to make a firm decision about participating in the tournament. After all, why would he have retired at any point over the past four years if that were the case?
His impact remained evident toward the close of 2025, contributing four goal involvements in convincing wins over Puerto Rico and Angola, though questions had arisen about his availability for the national team this month given his Inter Miami commitments.
Argentina Manager Confirms Messi Involvement vs. Mauritania
Argentina's record goalscorer has enjoyed a hectic start to the new year, with Miami entering the 2026 campaign as defending MLS Cup champions. His club season has kicked off with four goals in four matches, and Messi has since linked up with the national squad after being named in Scaloni's selection.
Argentina had originally been set to face European champions Spain in the latest edition of the 'Finalissima' this month. However, with the match scheduled to take place in Qatar, its proximity to Iran led to the fixture being called off.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) was therefore forced to quickly arrange a pair of nations willing to participate in friendlies during this international window. Mauritania and Zambia, ranked 115th and 91st in FIFA's global standings respectively, were the best options available.
The opposition may not be of the highest caliber, but fans filling La Bombonera over the coming week will be treated to Messi in action. Scaloni confirmed the forward's participation in both friendly matches.
"Messi will feature in both games, though we'll see whether he starts from the beginning," he said (via ESPN).
"Having two more matches on home ground, for an Argentine, is a wonderful chance to watch him on the field and savor what we all enjoy when he is here."
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The 38-year-old has come this far, with the tournament's opening day on June 11 drawing ever closer. Even so, Messi's World Cup participation remains uncertain.
"As for my position, you already know where I stand," Scaloni said. "I'll do everything in my power to ensure he's there. I believe, for the good of football, he needs to be there. But it's not my call to make — it's his, based on his mindset and physical condition.
"He has earned the right to make that choice with complete peace of mind. There's no pressure from our side. We trust that whatever he decides will be the right thing for both the team and himself. We hope he'll be with us," he added.
Messi will celebrate his 39th birthday during the tournament, yet there is little evidence that his extraordinary abilities have diminished. The MLS schedule could complicate his preparation, but he indicated last November that he intends to play at the tournament as long as he "feels good physically" and isn't a "burden" to his teammates.
His decision could be shaped in either direction by Argentina's upcoming friendly fixtures.