Lionel Messi still the key: Argentina legend Javier Zanetti reveals Inter Miami star’s hidden 2026 FIFA World Cup weapon for Lionel Scaloni’s side
As the soccer world looks ahead to 2026, questions continue to swirl around Lionel Messi and whether the sport’s most decorated modern icon will once again step onto the game’s biggest stage. For Argentina, the debate is not only about age or minutes played, but about leadership, influence, and timing. Few voices carry more authority on that subject than Javier Zanetti, a former captain who understands both the weight of the shirt and the demands of a World Cup campaign.
Speaking with the calm certainty of someone who has lived through multiple tournament cycles, Zanetti offered a perspective that cuts through the noise. While doubts persist externally, his stance is clear: Messi remains capable of helping Argentina in a meaningful way at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. And at the heart of his argument lies a carefully chosen nine-word message that reframes the entire conversation.
La Albiceleste enters the next World Cup cycle as the defending champion, having conquered the world in Qatar in 2022. That triumph, led by Messi, ended years of pressure and debate about his international legacy. Since then, the national team has continued to collect silverware, reinforcing its status as one of the strongest sides in global soccer.
Yet time moves quickly. Messi will be approaching 39 during the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. He now plays his club soccer away from Europe, prompting inevitable questions about rhythm, intensity, and physical sustainability. Some have even suggested that Argentina should begin planning without him at the center of the project. Zanetti strongly disagrees.
Zanetti’s confidence in Messi’s leadership
In an interview with FourFourTwo, Zanetti dismissed the idea that Messi’s age diminishes his value to the national team. “I don’t agree with that,” he said when asked whether Messi should step aside as a leader. “Messi is fully capable of continuing as a leader. He’s intelligent, knows better than anyone how to interpret what the team needs, and is surrounded by great players in the national team.”
For Zanetti, leadership is not about running more kilometers than anyone else. It is about understanding moments, managing teammates, and raising standards in decisive situations. Those are qualities Messi still possesses in abundance, regardless of the league he plays in.
Zanetti went even further, making it clear that Messi’s presence alone elevates Argentina’s status. “I’m convinced that with him, Argentina will be a major contender again at the next World Cup,” he added. Midway through the discussion, He delivered the line that best encapsulates his philosophy on Messi’s future. Reflecting on where the forward stands in his career, he said: “The time has come for Messi to enjoy football.”
Those nine words shift the narrative entirely. Rather than framing 2026 as a burden or a final obligation, Zanetti sees it as an opportunity—a space where Messi can contribute without the suffocating pressure that defined earlier chapters of his international career. According to the former defender, enjoyment does not mean detachment. It means clarity. It means freedom. And paradoxically, it may be the very thing that allows Messi to remain decisive on the biggest stage.
Decision, desire, and timing
Zanetti was careful to stress that the final call belongs to Messi alone. “That has to be his decision,” he said. “But I think yes. There are only a few months to go, and I believe he also wants to represent his country again. I have no doubt it will happen.”
The former captain highlighted an important distinction: Messi no longer needs to prove anything. Every major trophy is already in his cabinet. What remains is the desire to compete—and Zanetti believes that desire is still there.
The World Cup itself, he suggested, will serve as a personal checkpoint. “The World Cup will surely be an important testing ground to see how he feels, and then he’ll decide, calmly, whether to continue.”