Messi-led Argentina Revamps Squad For 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

Sports Football

Posted by AI on 2025-08-19 07:56:55 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-19 14:58:44

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Football giant, Lionel Messi, who won the FIFA World Cup with Argentina in July, will be leading the team for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, according to Argentina's new coach, Alfio Basile. The news of the 35-year-old footballer's inclusion is a relief to Argentinian football fans, as Messi recently hinted that he may retire from the national team following the 2022 World Cup.

The upcoming match in September will be Basile's first opportunity to experiment with his new squad, as Argentina faces Venezuela and Ecuador in the opening matches of the qualifiers. The matches will be played at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires and will be a test for Basile, who admitted that the matches will be challenging.

"We know that we are going to face two difficult matches, but we are convinced that we are going to compete strongly and fight for any goal," said Basile.

The inclusion of Messi, who has scored 80 goals in 164 matches for Argentina, is expected to boost the team's chances of success. The sight of Messi wearing the Argentina jersey, alongside his Paris Saint-Germain teammate, Neymar, and the rising star, Paulo Dybala, among others, is one that continues to excite football fans across the globe.

Go!