In an exclusive interview on ESPN Argentina’s SportsCenter, Lionel Messi talks about the 2026 World Cup, the talent of coach Lionel Scaloni and why Pep Guardiola is one of the greatest coaches of all time.
Lionel Messi shoots from long range to make it 5-0 in Argentina’s 5-0 win over Bolivia in the 2026 World Cup South American qualifiers at Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires on October 16, 2024. Photo: AP
Messi is entering a special phase of his life and career. On December 7, he will play in the MLS Cup final with Inter Miami, aiming to win his first national championship outside of Europe. At home in Barcelona, his name is still revered and mentioned. And then, in 7 months, the 2026 World Cup will come, the whole world will turn its eyes to the US, Canada and Mexico when Argentina begins its journey to defend the title.
Since coach Lionel Scaloni told the media in early September that Messi needed to be quiet to decide whether to attend the 2026 World Cup or not, the captain of the Argentina team has not been able to give a final answer.
“I hope I will be there. I have said that I really want to go to the World Cup,” Messi told ESPN. “In the worst case, I will also go as an audience, watching the team’s matches live. After all, the World Cup is a special event for everyone, for every country, especially for us, because Argentines live it in a completely different way.”
This means that Messi does not rule out the possibility of still being present in the Argentina team to North America in the summer of 2026, but possibly in a different capacity, like Sergio Aguero at the 2022 World Cup when he was registered as a member of the Argentina coaching staff. Messi and Scaloni have discussed this issue a lot. He said: “The coach understands me, and we have discussed it very carefully. Scaloni wants me to participate in the World Cup in any role, we trust each other completely and can talk to each other about everything.”
Regardless of whether he plays in the 2026 World Cup or not, Messi believes that Argentina has a strong team and needs to identify the status of defending champion as an advantage to be confident and comfortable. “The 2022 championship has lifted a huge burden from our shoulders,” he explained. “Being on the pitch without that pressure is a relief, but at the same time it doesn’t guarantee anything, because everyone wants to beat the defending champions. There are many strong teams, like Spain, France, England, especially Brazil, who haven’t won a title for a long time and are very hungry. Germany too.”
“However, Argentina has many excellent players, and that’s been shown over the years,” he continued. “New faces are constantly appearing alongside the old ones. Since Scaloni became head coach, he and his team have created an atmosphere of confidence, turning us into a solid team, always wanting to win more titles. That mentality is contagious, from training sessions to matches. The players give their all on the pitch – if they need to be fierce in training, no one will hold back.”
Sooner or later, the day will come when Messi can’t play for Argentina, but instead of promoting his own role, the 38-year-old player chooses to talk about his teammates. “It’s not easy to win a World Cup, just one small detail can knock you out of the game, any team can make it difficult,” he began talking about the other heroes who helped Argentina reach the top of the world in 2022. “It’s true that we won on penalties, but in reality, the team was superior to both the Netherlands and France, and it still had to be decided by a penalty shootout. Luckily, we had the ‘monster’ Dibu Martinez to help us win.”
Messi thanks goalkeeper Martinez in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final, which Argentina beat the Netherlands on penalties. Photo: AP
“Leandro Paredes and De Paul are the type of players you always want in your team, but opponents hate,” he added, referring to two other teammates who play a quiet but important role in the squad. “In real life, they are two great guys, normal, humble. But on the pitch, they become different people. When I look at Paredes, I think he has given Boca Juniors a big boost since he returned here. He has made the team stronger, thanks to his playing style and his ability to organize on the pitch. I am glad Leandro is my friend, I love him very much, seeing him still playing makes me even happier.”
Messi also praised Scaloni’s role, considering the head coach as the decisive figure for Argentina’s success in recent years. “From the beginning, he established a clear idea, and the best thing Scaloni brought, besides his perception of the game or his personnel arrangement, was his closeness to the team,” he said. “Scaloni understands them as people and knows how to talk to each person to connect with the rest. He built this team, bringing in new players, even those who were not yet well known in Argentine football. No matter where they play, the players know that as long as they perform well at the club, they can be called up by Scaloni at any time.”
Before becoming players and coaches, Messi and Scaloni were teammates in the Argentina shirt. And according to the observation of the Rosario-born player, the old friend – the teacher has now changed over time. “When he was a player, he was very different. In the past, Scaloni was very humorous, but now he is much more serious,” Messi said. “Scaloni used to joke a lot, even joking around. With us young players at that time, he was always close. I often teased Scaloni, bringing up the old story of the 2006 World Cup, saying that he kicked me hard in training. And he replied: ‘Lies!’. I immediately replied: ‘You may not remember, but you know for sure how badly he kicked me.’” According to Messi, Scaloni has remained close to him and the other players since he was an assistant to coach Jorge Sampaoli in 2017-2018 and then became head coach from 2018 until now. “We were teammates and thanks to that personality, he talked freely and understood all the members. Since becoming head coach, we have communicated in the same way, nothing has changed. The best qualities of Scaloni are: being true to his nature, being straightforward, saying what needs to be said to each person. In addition, he is an excellent coach in preparing matches, studying the weaknesses and strengths of the opponent,” Messi concluded about Scaloni.
Messi (red shirt) and Scaloni (second from right) joke around when they were with Argentina at the 2006 World Cup. Photo: Clarin
Currently, Scaloni instructs Messi on the training ground in Ezeiza, Argentina on November 9, 2021. Photo: Reuters
Despite his high regard for his 47-year-old compatriot, Messi still has special affection and respect for his former teacher Guardiola. He also believes that the Man City head coach is the best coach of all time.
“I only met Pep once before he became Barca coach, we never had a relationship,” Messi recalled. “Pep is unique. There are many excellent coaches, but he has something special, for me he is number one. Like I said about Scaloni, the way Pep sees the game, prepares, communicates… for me he is the best. We were lucky to meet at the right time at Barca, he has the right pieces for his philosophy.”
Messi praised the way Guardiola won titles and revolutionized the playing style in other countries he visited. “He did it at Bayern, at Man City. Even though he didn’t win the Champions League with Bayern, Pep changed the way of playing in Germany, where people are used to a different style. In England too. He didn’t just change a team, he changed the whole league,” said the Argentine striker.
On a personal level, in addition to the closeness, he praised Guardiola’s role in the progress he made in his playing style. “I learned a lot: movement, reading the space… It was Pep who put me in a false nine. At La Masia, I played behind the strikers, that was my real position. When I debuted in the first team under Frank Rijkaard and then with Pep, they put me on the wing, but I never really played there. But thanks to Pep, I kept learning and growing as a football player,” said Messi.
When asked about the best season of his career, Messi admitted that he himself did not know how to choose. “I do not like statistics, nowadays everything revolves around numbers. I like to participate a lot in the general play, in the match. There were years when we won everything: reaching the Copa America final with the national team, winning the Champions League with Barca… So it is very difficult to choose. In 2012, I scored about 91 goals, but I did not play football for that number, I never even cared, I only knew when people told me. I also never tried to create assists just to break records or surpass anyone. It is difficult to choose a single year, luckily I had many great years.”
Another aspect of himself that Messi also mentioned on ESPN was the importance of family. He was shown an old video of his family when he played for Argentina U20. “For me, family is everything, the most important thing,” he shared. “They are always by my side. We have gone through many difficult times. With the national team, we have suffered a lot of pain. My relatives suffered more than me.”
“At Barca, we won all the titles, but when I returned to the national team, things did not go well, people insulted me, said I did not love the shirt, should not play anymore… My family stayed in Argentina and watched all the sports programs on TV. My parents and siblings went through such stages. I am lucky to always have my family by my side. We are very close. The same goes for my wife Antonela’s family. I like to have everyone close to me, surrounding me, because in the end that is the most important thing,” Messi emphasized.