Football star Lionel Messi is ready to make history again after being included in Argentina’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. At 38 years old Messi could become one of the few players ever to play in six World Cups.
Argentina announced the squad this week, and football fans around the world were excited to see Messi return once again. He was the captain who helped Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and now he is preparing for another big tournament.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has trusted most of the players who won the World Cup in 2022. Around 17 players from that winning team are still part of the squad for the 2026 tournament.
Big names like Emiliano Martínez, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez remain in the squad alongside Messi. Young talents including Nicolás Paz and Giuliano Simeone have also been included as Argentina slowly prepares for the future.
One notable absence is veteran winger Ángel Di María, who retired from international football after the 2024 Copa América.
Messi first played at the World Cup back in 2006 as a teenage star. Since then, he has become Argentina’s all-time great, winning almost every major trophy possible during his incredible career. His emotional World Cup victory in 2022 completed the final missing piece in his football story and made him even more beloved in his home country.
There were recent concerns about Messi’s fitness after he suffered muscle fatigue while playing for Inter Miami CF. However reports suggest the issue was only precautionary, and Argentina remain confident that their captain will be ready for the tournament.
Argentina will begin their World Cup campaign against Algeria on June 16 before facing Jordan and Austria in the group stage. The defending champions are once again among the favorites to lift the trophy, and many fans hope Messi can end his international career with another unforgettable moment.
For football supporters, the 2026 World Cup may be the final chance to watch Messi perform on the world stage. And once again, all eyes will be on the Argentine captain.
