Messi for the 6th time in the World Cup, will he surprise again?

2026-06-11 23:19:15Sport SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi will participate in the 2026 World Cup, becoming one of the rare players in history to play in six editions of this tournament.

The Argentine striker, who will be 39 during the competition, has been included in coach Lionel Scaloni's 26-man squad.

Messi comes into this World Cup as captain of the defending champions, after Argentina won the title in Qatar 2022 after a dramatic final against France. With 26 World Cup appearances, he holds the record for the most appearances in the tournament's history.

At this World Cup, he will also be joined by Cristiano Ronaldo, who is also expected to play in his sixth edition, making this one of the most historic moments in international football.

Argentina's squad also includes several key players from their 2022 success, including goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, as well as forwards Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martínez. These players were part of the group that brought Argentina its third World Cup in history.

The squad also includes players from top European clubs, such as Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernández, making the group highly competitive for the title defense.

Argentina is in Group J and will begin its challenges in Kansas City against Algeria on June 17. It will then face Austria and Jordan in the next matches in Dallas.

Part of the minor concerns for the team is the physical condition of Messi, who was recently substituted in an Inter Miami match due to muscle fatigue, but his club has confirmed that it is not a serious injury.

There are also some important absences on the list, including Paulo Dybala and several young talents, who were not included in the final selection.

Argentina enters the tournament as one of the main favorites, aiming to defend the title won in 2022 and write another historic chapter in the career of Messi and his generation.


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