Messi says something surprising about the Argentina national team.

Lionel Messi has surprisingly offered a cautious assessment of Argentina's chances of defending their title at the 2026 World Cup.

In an interview with Argentinian journalist Joaquin “Pollo” Alvarez on May 8th, the Inter Miami captain stated that the Argentine team is currently not as highly regarded as some of the bigger rivals such as France, Spain, Brazil, or Portugal.

"There are some teams that are considered stronger than us right now," Messi said when asked about the 2026 World Cup race.

This assessment is noteworthy because Argentina are the reigning world champions. After winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, coach Lionel Scaloni's team continued their impressive form, winning the 2024 Copa America and leading the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in South America.

However, captain Messi understands that defending the world championship title is never an easy task. The last team to achieve this was Brazil in 1962.

Argentina are the reigning World Cup champions.

Messi is now 38 years old and is likely preparing for his final World Cup. Therefore, he doesn't view Argentina with the complacency of a champion, but with the clear-headedness of a player who has experienced both glory and bitterness on the world's biggest stage.

Despite downplaying Argentina's chances compared to some rivals, Messi insisted the team would not go to the World Cup with the mindset of passively defending their title.

"The Argentina team always plays to compete and give it their all. We will go to the World Cup and fight with all our hearts," the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner emphasized.

Among the top candidates, Messi particularly rates France highly, the team that Argentina lost to in the 2022 World Cup final.

"France is very strong. They have so many high-class players," Messi commented.

Messi also mentioned Spain, a team undergoing a successful rejuvenation process and having just won EURO 2024. He believes that Luis de la Fuente's team is maintaining a stable playing style, showing clear development, and is one of the most formidable teams ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

It's noteworthy that Messi still considers Brazil a contender for the title, despite their South American rivals' inconsistent form recently.

"Even though Brazil hasn't been in their best form for a long time, they are still always a contender for the title. They always have players who are capable of competing in any major tournament," Messi commented.

Messi also mentioned Germany, England, and Portugal. According to him, these are all teams with a rich tradition, depth of squad, and the ability to go far in major tournaments. He particularly praised Portugal as a highly competitive team.

Messi's statement quickly sparked debate in Argentina. Many fans argued that Coach Scaloni's team remains one of the most stable in the world.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/messi-noi-dieu-bat-ngo-ve-tuyen-argentina-post777060.html