Messi to represent Argentina at sixth World Cup
Lionel Messi will play in a sixth World Cup as he captains holders Argentina at the 2026 tournament. The 38-year-old forward was named in Lionel Scaloni's 26-man squad on Thursday.
With 26 appearances, Messi holds the current record for the most World Cup matches by any player - and will join Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, as the only male players to appear in a sixth edition of football's biggest event this summer. Emiliano Martinez has been selected, as have defenders Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero. Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez are also among the five British-based players in the squad for the finals, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Argentina are in Group J and begin their campaign in Kansas City against Algeria (Wednesday, 17 June, 02:00 BST), before playing two games in Dallas against Austria (Monday, 22 June, 18:00 BST) and Jordan (Sunday, 28 June, 02:00 BST). He has made 198 appearances for Argentina and will reach the 200-mark if he plays in both of his country's friendly matches - against Honduras in Texas (Sunday, 7 June, 01:00 BST) and then against Iceland in Alabama (Tuesday, 9 June).
Quick Summary
Lionel Messi is set to captain Argentina at the 2026 World Cup. The 38-year-old forward's selection has fans and analysts buzzing - but what does this mean for the tournament?
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