Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has admitted he “doesn’t want to think about” whether Lionel Messi will continue playing at the 2026 World Cup.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni recently spoke out about Lionel Messi’s future at the 2026 World Cup, in the context that the Inter Miami superstar was absent from the March team training session due to an adductor injury.

Speaking to the media after the impressive 4-1 victory over arch-rivals Brazil, Scaloni said he wanted to give Messi full control: ” We are going one game at a time. I don’t want to have to deal with that problem all year long. Leave Lionel Messi alone, let him make his own decisions. He will decide for himself, and please don’t make Messi crazy about this.”

At 37, El Pulga’s ability to play in the World Cup held in North America is in question. The captain of La Albiceleste has missed four matches in the past year due to injury and will miss two more in the international break this March. However, Argentina still showed convincing form, beating Uruguay 1-0 and crushing Brazil 4-1.

Things are not looking good at club level either. Since the start of the 2025 MLS season, Messi has only played 90 minutes in three games and had to sit out three consecutive games in early March due to fitness issues.

It remains unclear whether Messi will recover in time to play in Inter Miami’s clash with Philadelphia Union on March 29, which could mark his return to action under coach Javier Mascherano.

With more than a year to go until the 2026 World Cup, the future of the 8-time Ballon d’Or winner in the national team jersey is still a big question mark, and coach Scaloni seems to want to avoid any unnecessary pressure on his legendary captain.