Lionel Scaloni urges patience as Lionel Messi weighs 2026 World Cup decision

Messi’s participation in the competition remains uncertain.

The question that now looms over world soccer is whether Lionel Messi wants to make one last move onto the grandest platform of the sport, rather than whether he can still play at the top level.

Every remark is analyzed and every encounter is exaggerated as the current world champion navigates the end of his career with club and nation.

Lionel Scaloni has now added yet another level of mystery by providing a well-considered hint that has rekindled discussion regarding Lionel Messi’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

After Scaloni revealed that he had recently met Lionel Messi in Rosario, conjecture grew more intense. The picture was straightforward: two people who have both reached the top in soccer. However, it was impossible to overlook the symbolism.

Lionel Scaloni meets Lionel Messi in Argentina

“Leo and I got together because we were close,” Scaloni purposefully minimised the significance while acknowledging its inherent weight when he told AFA Estudio, “We had coffee.”

Scaloni didn’t speak out on the World Cup until much later, and when he did, his tone was deliberate. He clarified, “We didn’t talk about the World Cup,” before saying something that immediately went viral in international media: “We need to leave him alone to make the right decision.” It was a clear position from the coaching staff rather than a confirmation or denial.

Any decision about Messi’s future with Argentina will be taken independently of outside pressure, Scaloni stressed. The national squad will adjust as soon as the Inter Miami forward makes a decision. Scaloni stated, “Then we will think about what is best for the team, based on that decision,” indicating that Argentina’s strategy still heavily relies on patience.

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