World Cup champions Argentina are set to play on Thursday against Chile. Lionel Messi could make his first appearance for the national team in seven months, having missed the previous international break due to injuries.
Given that Argentina already secured their place in the 2026 World Cup back in March, the primary focus of this month`s CONMEBOL qualifiers shifts to Messi`s status as the countdown to next year`s tournament begins. Messi, who turns 38 later this month, once stated that it was improbable he would feature in the next World Cup due to his age. However, his continued involvement with the national team suggests there`s still a chance he might be part of the squad a year from now. Thursday`s match offers one of the initial opportunities for Argentina to properly prepare for their title defense, now that the qualification process is complete.
Argentina have traveled to Santiago for Thursday`s match against host nation Chile. Chile`s `golden generation` era appears to be over. The winners of the 2015 and 2016 Copa America tournaments currently sit at the bottom of South America`s 10-team qualifying standings with just two wins and 10 points from 14 games. They are likely to miss out on the World Cup for the third consecutive time. Despite their difficult position, their qualification hopes are not entirely extinguished – they need to close a five-point gap with seventh-place Venezuela, who occupy an intercontinental playoff spot, with four games remaining. A defeat on Thursday would likely make it impossible for them to catch sixth-place Colombia, who hold an automatic qualification spot but are currently 10 points ahead.
Last Meeting
The teams last faced each other in September in Argentina`s capital, Buenos Aires. On that occasion, the hosts achieved a dominant 3-0 victory. Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez, and Paulo Dybala all scored for Argentina, performing well even without Messi. In contrast, Chile managed only one shot on target throughout the 90 minutes.
Will Lionel Messi Play?
Seven months after his last game for Argentina, the significant question for manager Lionel Scaloni is whether Messi will return to the national team lineup. Scaloni stated in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday that he had not yet made a decision.
“I`ve been talking to him, we`ve continued talking, and we`ve been in touch recently,” Scaloni said. “Actually, for the match, it`s still undecided whether he`ll start or not. I need to talk to him, especially because it would be good to know how he`s doing physically. We`ve talked about a lot of things, but not that. It`s obvious, today we`re in a position to try other things, and in principle, he`s ready to play. Then we`ll assess whether he`s fit; he`s coming off a game last weekend. We`ll decide.”
Messi has been playing regularly for Inter Miami, completing 90 minutes in each of their last 15 games over the past two months, although managing his minutes has often been part of his routine in the later years of his career.
Predicted Lineups
Chile: Brayan Cortes, Felipe Loyola, Guillermo Maripan, Francisco Sierralta, Gabriel Suazo, Arturo Vidal, Rodrigo Echeverría, Vicente Pizarro, Dario Osorio, Alexis Sanchez, Alexander Aravena
Argentina: Emiliano Martinez, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Leandro Paredes, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez
Player to Watch
Julian Alvarez, Argentina: With Messi`s intermittent presence in Argentina`s squad due to injuries throughout this qualifying campaign, manager Scaloni has had opportunities to prepare for the team`s future after the Ballon d`Or winner`s eventual retirement. This has allowed Julian Alvarez to establish a significant role in the national team, scoring three goals so far in qualifiers. The 25-year-old is coming off an impressive first season in Madrid, scoring 29 goals across all competitions, making him a crucial attacking option for Argentina. He is valuable not only when Messi is absent during qualifiers but also potentially as a key player at next summer`s World Cup, where Argentina aims to defend their title.
Storyline to Watch
Argentina`s Evolving Squad: Regardless of Messi`s presence, Scaloni has spent the last few years building an Argentina team that is less dependent on their superstar and features younger talent. While experienced lineups are common for Scaloni, this is partly because his 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup-winning teams already included several world-class players in their prime or pre-prime years, many of whom have since lived up to expectations. Alvarez, for instance, was part of both the 2021 and 2022 squads and also participated in Argentina`s 2024 Copa America run. The same applies to center back Cristian Romero. The 27-year-old is emerging as one of the best defenders of his generation, recognized as the UEFA Europa League player of the season after his team won the tournament. The upcoming year provides Scaloni with a chance to fine-tune his talented roster, which is already in a strong position to compete at next year`s World Cup, thanks to valuable experiences playing both with and without Messi.
Prediction
This match is Argentina`s to lose. Even with relatively little at stake, the reigning world champions are likely to secure a win with considerable ease. This outcome is probable whether Messi plays or not, as Argentina possess the quality needed to defeat a Chile side that has conceded 21 goals in 14 World Cup qualifying games. Expect a comfortable margin of victory, given how uneven the matchup appears. Prediction: Chile 0, Argentina 2
Adrian Whitmore