Argentina soccer star Lionel Messi will play his final game with the national team on Tuesday, October 6, at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, closing an international career that delivered two Copa Americas and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Messi announced his decision to retire from international soccer last month, and his farewell is expected to be one of the biggest moments of his career, with many of his former teammates and current Argentina internationals traveling to Buenos Aires to say goodbye to their idol.
With Messi’s international career ending, questions are already mounting about the future of the Albiceleste. Who will lead the next generation? Which players will follow Messi out of the national team? And what lies ahead for head coach Lionel Scaloni? Here’s all you need to know.
Who will follow Messi?
The Argentinian national team will likely change a lot in the upcoming cycle leading to the 2030 World Cup, which Spain, Morocco and Portugal will host. It’s not clear yet which players are likely to follow Messi into retirement, but Nicolas Tagliafico, Nicolas Otamendi, Leandro Paredes and Rodrigo De Paul are unlikely to be part of the next tournament in four years.
No other player has officially announced their departure from the national team, and doubts remain over the matter, yet it is easy to imagine that these players, who are particularly close to Messi both on and off the pitch, could also say goodbye to international soccer in the near future. This is a moment of change for Argentina, only a few weeks after losing the 2026 World Cup final to Spain and after Messi’s decision to leave the Albiceleste and play his farewell game on October 6.
Who will lead the new cycle?
Argentina have already announced their new captain for the cycle after Messi’s retirement. Atletico Madrid defender Cristian Romero will wear the armband, followed by Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Inter striker Lautaro Martinez.
No player will be able to replace the character of Messi on the pitch, and Scaloni will have to rely on new talents who have emerged over the last few years and who could play in similar positions. Real Madrid loanee Franco Mastantuono was widely considered one of the best emerging talents in Argentina while playing for River Plate before completing his move to the Spanish giants, but after some early struggles at his new club he recently moved on loan to Fiorentina, where he is currently playing and hoping to regain confidence before making his way back to Real Madrid.
Alongside Mastantuono, Como attacker Nico Paz is also one of the best Argentinian emerging talents right now. The 22-year-old was already called up by Scaloni for the 2026 World Cup, but from now on he will be expected to take on a greater role as possibly the team’s most talented and creative player. Nobody can replace Messi, but Paz is probably the player carrying the most expectations for the future.
At the same time, Argentina can count on crucial players already in the current roster to lead the new cycle, among them Manchester City midfielder Enzo Fernandez, Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez and Inter captain Lautaro Martinez — players who can use their experience with the national team and their clubs to help the new generation integrate as soon as possible.
Scaloni’s biggest task
Historically, it’s never easy for a team to cope with the absence of such a legend of the game. It has happened in multiple sports, not only soccer, and it will be no different for Argentina and Scaloni. After the 2026 World Cup, there were also questions about the future of the manager, who raised doubts about his short-term future with the national team. Despite the rumors, the Argentine FA offered Scaloni a new deal until the 2030 World Cup, asking him to lead the project after the end of the Messi era, and according to the latest reports he is now close to signing.
Scaloni will have one main challenge to deal with beyond the technical task of replacing Messi. Since taking over as interim coach in 2018, Scaloni has had to manage the pressure surrounding Messi, who had previously endured a difficult period with the national team and struggled to deliver major trophies. Step by step, Scaloni helped Messi achieve his dreams and won the 2022 World Cup, and all the players who featured under him worked together to help their captain realize his childhood dreams. All egos, individual targets and personal ambitions were left behind to help Messi.
Looking back, players weren’t celebrating for themselves but for Messi. When Lautaro Martinez scored the winning goal in the semifinal earlier this year against England, completing an incredible comeback in the last minutes of the game, the whole team ran to Messi, including Lautaro himself — a celebration that tells us how much he was loved and respected in the squad.
From now on, things will be different. Egos, individual ambitions and strong personalities will inevitably come back, and it will be up to Scaloni and the team’s most experienced players to manage them and keep Argentina united without their leader and most important player.