Lionel Messi is currently injured and will miss the upcoming two World Cup qualifier matches for the Argentina national team this week. Even though Messi will not be able to play for the national team in these next two games, Argentina have the chance to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup if they win both of their matches during this international break. They would be one of the first teams to qualify for the tournament but not the first as Japan secured their qualification this morning.
Argentina is currently first in the World Cup qualifiers standings in CONMEBOL with 25 points after 12 games played. With six matches left until the World Cup next year, the point difference from Argentina compared to the other South American national teams could increase. It will be difficult for the current World Champions as they will play some of the best teams in their region and the world: Uruguay and Brazil.
Messi is recognized as the star player for almost all of the teams he plays for, including the Argentina national team. He was pivotal for them in the 2022 World Cup, leading them to become World Champions in Qatar that year. Messi has continued to play for the national team after the 2022 World Cup and has even led to them winning the 2024 Copa America, which was last summer.
Argentina has played 12 out of 18 World Cup qualifying matches for the CONMEBOL region and they are first in the standings with 25 points. Messi missed out on three games, which resulted in two wins and one loss for Argentina. With the star, Argentina defeated Bolivia 3-0 and Paraguay 1-0 but suffered a 2-1 loss to Colombia away from home. Messi’s impact on the team continues to be evident against the big teams and with the schedule coming up, it could make it very difficult for Argentina to achieve reaching the World Cup next year in the next few days.
Uruguay is the first game for Argentina without Messi this week and it will be their toughest yet. Uruguay is currently second in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers with 20 points after 12 games played. The last time the two teams faced off, Uruguay defeated the World Champions 2-0 in Buenos Aires. The game between the two will take place at the Estadio Centenario on Friday.
Brazil and Argentina are known for their heated rivalry on the international stage of football but now this super-classic of the Americas will be even more crucial for the two. Brazil are currently 5th in the standings with 18 points. The first six teams directly qualify for the World Cup. The last game between Argentina and Brazil ended in a heated 1-0 win for the World Champions at Rio de Janeiro.
This upcoming international break could be key for Argentina’s qualification for the next World Cup. With two victories in these next two games, Argentina could have a breather ahead of the remaining games for the qualifiers. With Messi out, this is a great opportunity for Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni to give some minutes to new faces in the team that have been called up. Some stars Argentina fans can look forward to watching are Como’s Nico Paz, Bologna’s Santiago Castro, and Atletico Madrid’s Giuliano Simeone.
Argentina fans dream of having another successful World Cup qualifier run as they look like the best team in South America. Messi’s absence will be weird for the current team to handle but the coach and the fans will need to understand his future is uncertain. No one knows for sure whether Messi will play in the 2026 World Cup as his time as a professional player is almost over.
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