Argentina captain is known as in preliminary squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 however has not confirmed his participation.
Revealed On 12 Could 2026
Lionel Messi’s participation within the FIFA World Cup has been the topic of fan queries for the previous few months, however his inclusion in Argentina’s preliminary squad for the match might have put these issues to relaxation.
The worldwide soccer celebrity was among the many 55 gamers named by Lionel Scaloni in his preliminary World Cup roster on Monday, however the 38-year-old has but to completely affirm his availability as Argentina look to defend their title.
Messi was among the many 16 forwards listed by the Argentinian head coach, who additionally named Gianluca Prestianni despite a six-match ban imposed on the participant that would see him miss his group’s first two group video games.
The Inter Miami and Argentina captain has repeatedly hinted that his time on the worldwide stage could also be coming to an finish.
“I’m acutely aware that I’m taking part in my last matches, and I’m having fun with them to the utmost,” Messi mentioned after an Inter Miami sport in June. “I’m certain that you just’re watching my last moments in soccer’s elite.”
Nonetheless, he has neither dedicated nor minimize ties with La Albiceleste within the run-up to the monthlong match, which begins on June 11.
Messi was a part of the squad as Argentina started the qualification course of for the World Cup 2026, however accidents saved the soccer nice out of motion of their previous couple of matches.
It prompted Scaloni to say there was “loads of time” to make a name on Messi’s future in worldwide soccer, however the World Cup-winning coach might have confirmed his and the participant’s resolution along with his squad announcement.
Messi’s teammates have been very clear about their needs.
“With Messi, we would have scored two or three extra objectives,” Julian Alvarez mentioned after Argentina’s 4-1 win over Brazil within the South American qualifiers final yr.
Rodrigo de Paul echoed Messi’s followers in Argentina and world wide when he mentioned: “One of the best of our groups is at all times when the quantity 10 is taking part in as a result of he’s the best of all time.”
Messi scored seven objectives for Argentina as they lifted the World Cup trophy for the primary time in 36 years on the Qatar 2022 match.
The captain scored his group’s first objective in regulation time within the last in opposition to France in addition to their first penalty after the sport resulted in a 3-3 draw after further time.
In the meantime, 20-year-old Prestianni is ready to overlook no less than two of Argentina’s World Cup fixtures as he serves a six-match ban for utilizing homophobic slurs throughout a UEFA Champions League sport in February.
Taking part in for Benfica of Portugal, Prestianni was accused of hurling verbal insults in direction of Actual Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. He denied utilizing abusive language and mentioned on social media that he was “misunderstood”.
The unique penalty was handed out by UEFA, Europe’s soccer governing physique, earlier than FIFA prolonged the punishment to all worldwide sanctioned matches.
Prestianni made his debut for Argentina’s nationwide group in November and has been a part of their squad in latest months.
The World Cup – cohosted by Canada, Mexico and america – will conclude on July 19.
Argentina open their title defence in opposition to Algeria on June 16 in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri, earlier than going through Austria on June 22 in Dallas, Texas, and Jordan on the identical venue on June 27.
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