As Lionel Messi enters the twilight of his legendary profession, one defining query looms: Can he nonetheless lead Argentina to glory but once more on the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Whereas the 38-year-old continues to dazzle in MLS with Inter Miami, the competitors he faces week in and week out does not at all times match the depth or technical high quality of the worldwide stage. That is why the FIFA Membership World Cup — the place Miami confronted elite opponents from Europe and South America — supplied a glimpse into how Messi performs proper now towards elite defenders, and what it means for his position along with his nationwide staff subsequent summer season.
ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano and Tim Vickery discover how Messi’s position has advanced, and what Miami and Argentina are doing to protect his influence forward of subsequent yr’s match.
Messi’s evolution at membership degree
Months after making his debut for Barcelona on Oct. 16, 2004, Messi scored his first senior purpose off a Ronaldinho help, turning into the membership’s youngest-ever scorer on the time. Since then, the Argentine ahead has gone on to interrupt most main information, set new requirements, and redefine the sport of soccer.
Messi first surprised the world in 2007 in a sport towards Espanyol when he gained possession of the ball in his personal half earlier than dancing and dribbling his manner by way of a number of defenders to succeed in the ultimate third and rating. He defied expectations as an explosive, left-footed proper winger who would minimize by way of the center to create what appeared like unattainable possibilities for others.
Former Barcelona supervisor Pep Guardiola then redefined the that means and position of a conventional striker, turning Messi right into a “false 9” and tapping into his potential, which might see him overcome just about any opponent. Messi’s bodily capacities, mixed along with his distinctive imaginative and prescient of the sport, would rapidly see the participant develop into one of many best within the historical past of the game.
His talents with Barcelona did not initially translate to fast success for the Argentina nationwide staff, as coaches struggled to make the most of Messi’s skills. However every part modified underneath supervisor Lionel Scaloni. La Albiceleste now not trusted the captain to do all of it, however as an alternative created a assist system for Messi to have the ability to shine within the closing third.
Now, at 38, his strategy to taking part in has matured, however the means to have an effect on any sport stays.
At Inter Miami, the membership continues to discover a method to capitalize on Messi’s skills with out subjecting his physique to any bodily overload. The MLS calendar runs from February to December, with 34 regular-season video games and a monthlong-plus playoff marketing campaign if a staff qualifies for the ultimate. This yr, Miami and Messi additionally participated within the Concacaf Champions Cup, the FIFA Membership World Cup, and can take part within the upcoming Leagues Cup, which begins in late July.
And whereas most of Messi’s membership matches now are available in MLS, the place he typically faces much less stress and depth, the Membership World Cup introduced a sharper lens. Dealing with groups just like the defending UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain — and beforehand FC Porto and Palmeiras — allowed Messi to measure himself towards defenders extra akin to what he’ll see in a World Cup knockout stage.
Miami head coach Javier Mascherano retains a detailed eye on Messi’s minutes and rests him at occasions in video games with decrease stakes within the MLS common season. Individually, Messi tailored his model to maximise his affect on the sphere and protect sufficient power to shine when wanted.
His talent set hasn’t modified, however how Messi makes use of his best belongings has advanced. The participant now relies upon extra on his exact learn of the sport to supply a superbly timed help and his means to discover a pocket of house to attain. Although Messi’s facility to weave by way of a backline and into the ultimate third could be seen at a slower tempo, it continues to be simply as efficient.
Statistically, Messi’s transformation is simple to hint — as is the latitude afforded him by subpar MLS defenses.
On the Membership World Cup, he averaged 5.5 meters traveled per carry, a determine that is down from 6.1 meters per carry in MLS play. That 5.5 determine is essentially according to what Messi produced in his closing seasons in Europe (5.2 with PSG in 2022-23, 5.7 with Barcelona in 2020-21), whereas the 6.1 mark remembers Messi’s influence on the peak of his powers, when he averaged 6.2 meters per carry in 2011-12.
His take-on makes an attempt per 90 comply with the same sample. His common of 4.5 on this Membership World Cup is down considerably in comparison with 2011-12, when he averaged 9.1 at his explosive peak, however his 7.99 per 90 in MLS play illustrates the alternatives with the ball at his ft introduced to him by league opposition. When going through sterner competitors, we are able to see a transparent shift away from dribbling and extra towards environment friendly motion and playmaking.
On the identical time, his attacking-third passes per 90 have declined from 35.6 in 2011-12 with Barcelona to only 13.0 within the Membership World Cup, not on account of decreased involvement, however relatively a extra selective and exact strategy. That quantity rises to 24.3 in his home play in 2025.
Messi might now not dominate with fixed movement, however his means to choose the best second and make the best determination stays intact, nonetheless being decisive towards high-level opponents.
Supply: TruMedia
In modifying his sport, Messi can really feel a way of ache or muscular pressure and proceed to be medical along with his left foot. When going through Porto within the second group-stage sport within the Membership World Cup, Mascherano confirmed the participant felt discomfort all through the match however insisted on remaining on the pitch to play. In doing so, Messi was in a position to rating the successful purpose off a set piece by rocketing the ball into the higher proper nook of the online, as followers have seen quite a few occasions earlier than.
“We are able to say he is one of the best participant to have ever performed this sport, however his need to win is stunning, as a result of [against Porto], even within the closing minutes, drained and injured, he continued to assist the staff get the consequence,” Mascherano mentioned. “We have now to carry onto that and know that having him offers us a bonus, and we now have to catch his spirit.”
Even injured, Messi can depend on the precision of his left foot.
He continued to be efficient within the spherical of 16 towards PSG, showcasing moments of his advanced sport within the second half earlier than being eradicated from the competitors with a 4-0 defeat. Messi dribbled previous PSG gamers in an try to arrange Tadeo Allende and Luis Suárez for the purpose, however his teammates could not capitalize on the assist from the Argentine.
His means to weave by way of gamers to succeed in the ultimate third can nonetheless stun even the reigning champions of Europe, however he wanted assist. — Becherano
Messi’s evolution for Argentina
So, what extra chapters are left on this extraordinary story?
Is it even potential that Sunday’s 4-0 loss to PSG within the spherical of 16 of the Membership World Cup was the final time we see Messi in a significant match? There may be nonetheless no official affirmation that he’ll play subsequent yr’s World Cup.
The road has at all times been “wait and see,” with the participant needing to substantiate to himself that he’ll be capable to do himself justice in 2026. There are few higher measuring rods than a knockout sport towards the reigning European champion.
It’s unreasonable to anticipate a 38-year-old to have the ability to carry out at his earlier peak. Within the race between time and the athlete, there’s solely ever one winner.
Two-and-a-half years have handed because the World Cup in Qatar, and we’re unlikely to see Messi constantly attain that degree. However the Membership World Cup has proven that he can nonetheless affect the course of occasions, dropping deep to regulate the rhythm of the sport, nearer to purpose with a sudden surge of acceleration and naturally, these free kicks when he virtually appears to choose up the ball and place it within the high nook of the purpose.
The possibilities are that Argentina and Scaloni can nonetheless discover a method to guarantee that Messi performs an element within the subsequent World Cup.
The connection between Argentina’s coach and the captain has been nothing in need of exceptional. Scaloni took the job on a caretaker foundation after the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He was seen as a cheap stop-gap, however he got here in, with subsequent to no expertise behind him, stuffed with ambition. He had been extremely influenced by then-world champion France and introduced his intention to herald a brand new model, primarily based on quick transitions. His facet would win the ball and be able to shoot inside three or 4 seconds.
It hardly appeared an concept ample for a Messi facet, and it started disastrously within the 2019 Copa América. It may have all gone fallacious, however Scaloni had the great fortune to depend on a brand new Messi.
In battle on the time with Barcelona, Messi appeared to make the Argentina nationwide staff his high precedence. What did he want to alter? There had lengthy been a sense that his aloof method had an intimidating impact on the remainder of the squad. However in 2019, there was a giant distinction.
Reporters who cowl the staff famous that he had remodeled right into a vocal chief and inspiring presence. Argentina misplaced to Brazil within the semifinals, but it surely emerged from the Copa with the sketch of a staff, in each a tactical and a psychological sense.
The staff had develop into possession-based, carrying down the opposition and giving the ball to Messi the place he may do essentially the most harm, near purpose. And so they lined up virtually like Messi and his fan membership. The others had a reverence for him and will do no matter it took to provide him a platform to take the staff to victory.
On the closing whistle of the 2021 Copa América, when Messi had lastly received a senior title for his nation, the whole squad ran to him to have fun, and, in fact, the staff had a fair greater prize to have fun on the finish of the next yr.
The Qatar World Cup was a masterclass of Scaloni’s tinkering, altering the system relying on the opposition, and making personnel modifications. The modifications have been designed to assist the principle concept keep the identical, to assist Argentina get one of the best from Messi. The staff quickly found that the match could be laborious work, and that it will not have the majority of possession it had imagined.
So Lautaro Martínez needed to give manner at middle ahead for Julián Álvarez, a striker with the soul of a midfielder who may do all of Messi’s working for him.
However what now? Is it nonetheless worthwhile making so many sacrifices for the good thing about one participant?
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Burley: If not for Messi, Inter Miami would not be at Membership World Cup
Craig Burley responds to Jordi Alba’s post-match interview after Inter Miami have been brushed apart 4-0 by PSG.
The worst second that Argentina has endured since Qatar got here at a second of historic triumph. In November 2023, Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 on the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, the primary time Brazil had ever misplaced a World Cup qualifier at residence. In fact, the consequence was higher than the efficiency. And there was an additional cause for Scaloni to fret. True, Messi was not 100% match, however he made little impression — one thing that will have been unthinkable a few years earlier — and he was substituted with quarter-hour to go.
Within the postmatch information convention, Scaloni flirted with the concept of resigning. The reason was easy: Scaloni had constructed his staff round Messi and was starting to marvel if that formulation nonetheless labored.
However time has a manner of turning the unthinkable into the potential. And simply because the Copa América tournaments of 2019 and 2021 have been necessary in cementing a bond between Messi and the staff, so too the 2024 match hinted at a future with out him.
Within the second half of the ultimate towards Colombia, he pulled up with an damage and was substituted. Arguably, Argentina improved in his absence and went on to win the match.
Scaloni has had the chance to have a look at methods of organising his facet with out Messi. The primary choice was to play Álvarez and Martínez collectively, with Álvarez dropping into the Messi slot, which was the blueprint when Argentina beat Chile 3-0 final September. Extra not too long ago, Scaloni has gone with Álvarez at middle ahead, combining with Thiago Almada slicing in from the left as a playmaker.
This was how again in March, Argentina received away towards Uruguay after which produced an impressive show to brush Brazil apart 4-1. For the group, with out taking away any of its reverence for Messi, it was an enormous psychological increase to win so properly with out him.
And Messi, too, appears proud of this state of affairs. Again for the June FIFA dates, he got here off the bench within the go to to Chile, and was taken off within the second half at residence to Colombia, when simply after he had been withdrawn, Almada scored the equalizing purpose.
The dynamic has modified. It is now not only a case of Messi and his fan membership. His followers have grown up and are able to tackle extra accountability. And it is this very confidence in his personal teammates — the information that it is now not all as much as him — that makes it extra doubtless that Messi will spherical off his World Cup profession with one other crack at glory subsequent yr. — Vickery