Will Lionel Messi play tonight for Argentina vs Colombia in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers?

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :June 10, 2025 at 10:16 PM

Modified at :June 10, 2025 at 10:16 PM

(Courtesy : Getty Images)

La Albiceleste are 10 points ahead of second place in the table.

World champions Argentina will host Colombia tonight at Estadio Mas Monumental in an attempt to win the World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign game at home for the fifth time in a row.

Although Lionel Scaloni’s team is already guaranteed a spot in the World Championship, the struggling visitors, who are now in sixth place, are still in doubt, particularly with seventh-place Venezuela closing the gap.

Even though Argentina have secured their spot in the world finals for next year, Scaloni’s team maintained their winning streak last week by overcoming a disappointing Chile by 1-0.

With three games left, the world champions are 10 points ahead after La Albiceleste’s victory, which was their fourth straight victory and their 11th overall in 15 games.

Argentina’s free-scoring and defensively sound performances in these wins are even more astounding. They have scored three goals or more in two of the four games, defeating Brazil (4-1) and Bolivia (6-0).

Scaloni’s squad now aims to extend Colombia’s miserable run in this home game since crushing their bitter rivals.

Will Lionel Messi play tonight?

Lionel Messi might return to the starting lineup tonight as the attacker looks to add to his six goals in qualification. Messi returned to action for the national team in their last game against Chile.

The forward influence on the game hasn’t waned, as he is still the creator for the team in these crucial matches and sets the tone of the match.

The forward missed their March games after suffering an injury. However, in the previous match, he returned as a substitute and will hope to be in the lineup to face Colombia tonight.

Messi’s performance against Chile demonstrated that he can still dictate the game, operating as an attacking midfielder. His attributes against tonight’s opponents will be crucial as Argentina look to continue their winning run in the qualifiers.

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Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.