Messi to captain Argentina at World Cup as Scaloni plays down injury fears
Lionel Messi will captain Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, with coach Lionel Scaloni confirming a 26-man squad that notably omits Franco Mastantuono. Despite injury concerns for Messi and others, Scaloni has played down the severity, while Thiago Almada emerges as a likely starter alongside Messi.