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Three players have been named by Loudry Maspaitella as his favourites for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on 12 June — and all of them have a Barcelona connection.

As one of Indonesia’s volleyball legends, Loudry Maspaitella doesn’t just follow the sport that made him famous. He also keeps a close eye on football. The four-time SEA Games gold medallist (1991, 1993, 1997, and 2003) has followed the global game and revealed his favourite footballers ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The former setter of Indonesia’s men’s national volleyball team, who is backing Argentina to win the tournament, naturally includes Lionel Messi among his football idols.

Interestingly, all three of Loudry Maspaitella’s favourite footballers have either played for or are currently with Barcelona.

According to Loudry, his top picks for the 2026 World Cup are Lionel Messi (Argentina), Pedri (Spain), and Gavi (Spain).

“My favourite players are Messi, Gavi, and Pedri,” said Loudry Maspaitella, who currently serves as the Deputy Chairman for Development and Performance (Wakabinpres) at the Central Board of the Indonesian Volleyball Federation (PP PBVSI), in an interview on Sunday (31 May).

Lionel Messi remains one of the most anticipated figures at the 2026 World Cup, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. This edition of the tournament could well be the last World Cup for the Argentine captain, widely known as ‘La Pulga’.

As defending champions, Argentina — nicknamed La Albiceleste — will look to Messi once again for leadership and inspiration as they aim to retain their title on football’s biggest stage.

However, Messi’s current challenge is recovering from an injury he sustained while providing two assists during Inter Miami’s 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer (MLS) recently.

Argentina’s coach, Lionel Scaloni, initially expressed concern about Messi’s condition. Nevertheless, the superstar was ultimately included in Argentina’s 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Meanwhile, Pedri and Gavi are expected to be key figures in Spain’s midfield setup. Pedri has displayed impressive form this season. Playing for Barcelona, who closed the 2025/2026 campaign as LaLiga champions, he contributed two goals and 12 assists in 43 matches.

Gavi, who had been sidelined due to injury earlier in the season, managed to recover in time. However, under Hansi Flick’s management, he has seen limited action this season, recording just one assist in 13 matches.

Both Argentina and Spain are viewed as strong contenders for the 2026 World Cup title. Spain has been drawn into Group H alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay, while Argentina finds themselves in what appears to be a more favourable Group J with Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.

When asked about his favourites to win the tournament, Loudry Maspaitella named six national teams: Argentina, France, Spain, Brazil, Germany, and England.

“Since it’s still the early phase, those are the countries I’m backing to go all the way,” Loudry concluded.