Messi still undecided on 2026 World Cup, Scaloni says

Messi Undecided on 2026 World Cup Participation, Coach Scaloni Says

Lionel Messi has yet to decide whether he will play at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed on Friday, leaving the defending champions facing uncertainty around their greatest player with just 81 days until their tournament opener against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City.yahoo

Scaloni: “He Has Earned the Right”

Speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of Argentina’s friendly against Mauritania at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, Scaloni made clear the decision rests entirely with the 38-year-old Inter Miami star. “As far as I’m concerned, you already know where I stand. I’ll do everything I can to make sure he’s there,” Scaloni told reporters, according to ESPN. “I believe that, for the sake of football, he has to be there. It’s not me who decides. It’s up to him, his state of mind, his physical condition.”skysports

Scaloni added that he would not pressure Messi into a decision. “He has the right to decide calmly. We are in no hurry,” the coach said. “It’s difficult because it’s not just Argentinians who want to see him — everyone wants to see him.”yahoo

Despite the lingering World Cup question, Scaloni confirmed Messi will feature in both of Argentina’s upcoming friendlies — against Mauritania on Friday and Zambia at La Bombonera later in the international window — though he was uncertain whether the captain would start or come off the bench.footballtransfers

Panichelli Injury Deepens Argentina’s Concerns

Argentina’s preparations took another blow after forward Joaquín Panichelli was ruled out of the World Cup with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, sustained during training ahead of the Mauritania match. The 23-year-old RC Strasbourg striker, Ligue 1’s leading scorer with 16 goals this season, had only recently earned his call-up and was competing for a place in Scaloni’s squad.yahoo

Panichelli’s injury marks the third time Argentina have lost a player to a serious setback ahead of the tournament. Villarreal defender Juan Foyth ruptured his Achilles tendon in January, while Racing Club forward Valentín Carboni suffered an ACL tear during training in late February. The mounting casualty list comes as Scaloni also navigates fitness concerns around several other squad members, though his team still boasts attacking depth through Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez, and rising talent Franco Mastantuono.bolavip

The Clock Ticks on Messi’s Final Act

Messi, who won the Golden Ball as Argentina claimed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, has previously said he would assess his fitness “on a day-to-day basis” before committing to what would almost certainly be his final World Cup. He has 196 caps and 115 goals for Argentina, and his participation would see him appear at a record sixth World Cup. Scaloni, for his part, has maintained the same public stance for months, telling reporters as far back as September that Messi would be given space to “take this time calmly”. The coach also used Friday’s press conference to dismiss any prospect of Ángel Di María returning from international retirement for the tournament. “We recognize that Di María’s chapter has closed,” Scaloni said.espn