Will Messi play? Argentina answer fan queries in 55-man World Cup squad
Key takeaways
- Argentina captain is named in preliminary squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 but has not confirmed his participation.
- Messi was among the 16 forwards listed by the Argentinian head coach, who also named Gianluca Prestianni despite a six-match ban imposed on the player that could see him miss his team’s first two group games.
- The Inter Miami and Argentina captain has repeatedly hinted that his time on the global stage may be coming to an end.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Argentina captain is named in preliminary squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 but has not confirmed his participation.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Lionel Messi has been named in Argentina's preliminary World Cup 2026 squad [File: Rodrigo Valle/Reuters]Published On 12 May 202612 May 2026Lionel Messi’s participation in the FIFA World Cup has been the subject of fan queries for the past few months, but his inclusion in Argentina’s preliminary squad for the tournament may have put those concerns to rest.
The global football superstar was among the 55 players named by Lionel Scaloni in his initial World Cup roster on Monday, but the 38-year-old has yet to fully confirm his availability as Argentina look to defend their title.