Vinicius rates Messi highly for the 2026 World Cup.
Striker Vinicius sees the Argentina national team as a top contender for the 2026 World Cup title because of Lionel Messi.
Báo Xây dựng•29/05/2026
With less than two weeks to go, the 2026 World Cup will officially kick off in North America. Most teams have already entered the final stages of preparation for the tournament.
Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, striker Vinicius gave an interview to CazeTV. In the conversation, the Brazilian star praised the Argentine national team and considered them one of the top contenders for the championship thanks to the presence of Lionel Messi.
Messi is participating in his sixth World Cup with the Argentine national team.
"I chose Argentina as one of the contenders for the 2026 World Cup title because they are coming into the tournament as the defending champions. The Argentine team is confident, especially since they have Lionel Messi in their squad," Vinicius said.
Despite being 38 years old, Messi still demonstrates superior class and frequently produces spontaneous plays that are almost impossible for opposing defenders to anticipate.
Speaking about this, Vinicius admitted: “Messi always brings something different. We can never imagine what he will do next.”
At the 2022 World Cup, Lionel Messi shone brightly and played a major role in helping Argentina win the championship. In the tournament in Qatar, "La Pulga" won the Best Player award, scoring 7 goals and providing 3 assists.
On the evening of May 28th, coach Lionel Scaloni announced the 26-player squad for the Argentina national team heading to the 2026 World Cup, and Lionel Messi is still included.
Participating in the 2026 World Cup would give Messi the opportunity to extend his record for the most World Cup appearances, having already played 26 matches in the previous five tournaments, from 2006 to 2022. To date, M10 has scored 116 goals in 198 matches for Argentina. If he plays in the two friendly matches against Honduras and Iceland in early June, he will reach the milestone of 200 international appearances.
However, Messi is currently experiencing minor pain following an injury sustained while playing for Inter Miami last weekend. But according to medical experts, he is still fully fit to participate in the 2026 World Cup.
Argentina is confidently looking forward to the 2026 World Cup.
At the 2026 World Cup, Argentina remains a top contender for the title. Scaloni's team has dominated South America with two recent Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, in addition to the 2022 World Cup victory. If they successfully defend their title, Argentina will become the first team to win two consecutive World Cups since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
In the list of 26 players called up by coach Scaloni, most of the key players from the tournament four years ago are included. Notable among them are goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, defenders Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, and Nahuel Molina. Midfield includes Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Rodrigo De Paul, and Leandro Paredes, while the attack features Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, and Thiago Almada.
In addition, coach Lionel Scaloni also called up a number of young players who have been playing impressively recently, such as Nico Paz, who plays for Como in Serie A, and Valentin Barco of Strasbourg.
Here is the list of 26 players who will be part of the Argentina squad for the 2026 World Cup:
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