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A statement by Lionel Scaloni has indirectly placed Lionel Messi among the players who could still be replaced in Argentina’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni has hinted at potential changes to his squad less than ten days before the tournament begins.

Speaking after Argentina’s friendly match against Iceland on Wednesday (June 10), the coach, who led La Albiceleste to victory in the 2022 World Cup, admitted that there could be adjustments to the final squad list.

Players who fail to meet the minimum physical condition required for the World Cup will be dropped — a situation that could include Lionel Messi, who is still racing against time to recover from his injury.

“Is there a chance we’ll change the 26-man list? So far, the recovery process of our players is going well, but during the final week of preparations, we will raise the intensity and demands,” Scaloni said in an interview with ESPN Argentina.

“One thing we are absolutely clear about is that if a player is not at least minimally available, he will be excluded.

“We are firm about that. Right now, they are doing well, and we’ve been monitoring them closely.”

From a timing perspective, it’s far from ideal to alter the 26-man squad composition. However, Scaloni’s situation leaves him with few options.

Several key Argentine players are not fully fit, and forcing them to play in a physically demanding tournament like the FIFA World Cup could pose significant risks.

Among those still recovering from injuries are Julian Alvarez, Emiliano Martinez, Nico Paz, Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Leandro Paredes, and Cristian Romero.

“After the game against Iceland, we will increase the workload and intensity, and then we’ll see how they respond. If anyone is still not fully fit, they will be replaced,” Scaloni emphasised.

What About Lionel Messi?

Messi is heading into the 2026 World Cup in less-than-ideal condition.

The Argentine icon sustained a hamstring issue during a recent Major League Soccer (MLS) match.

As a result, Messi has been given as much recovery time as possible in hopes of regaining full fitness in time for the World Cup.

If his condition does not improve sufficiently, Messi could be left out — although Scaloni recently confirmed that his captain has returned to team training.

“Messi is doing fine; he’s no longer training completely separately,” the Argentina coach told reporters.

Scaloni has reportedly prepared four backup players as an emergency reserve list in case any member of the final squad suffers a long-term injury. Santiago Beltran, Nicolas Capaldo, Máximo Perrone, and Emiliano Buendia are among those on standby.

The Messi Era Seen as Over

The 2026 World Cup may not serve as the stage for a final showdown between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, according to Indonesian national volleyball coach Indra Wahyudi Harahap.

Coach Indra believes that neither Messi’s Argentina nor Ronaldo’s Portugal are favourites to claim the 2026 title.

Instead, he favours 2018 champions France to once again dominate the 23rd edition of the World Cup.

“For this World Cup, my pick is the French national team,” Indra Wahyudi Harahap told Tribunnews on Friday (June 5) morning local time.

“My favourite player remains Kylian Mbappe,” added the former Proliga volleyball player who had represented Jakarta BNI46, Jakarta Electric PLN, and Palembang Bank SumselBabel.

Interestingly, without dismissing the strength of Portugal or Argentina, the former assistant coach of Indonesia’s national volleyball team predicted that neither Messi nor Ronaldo would reach the pinnacle of success at the 2026 World Cup.

“Their time has passed for Messi and Ronaldo,” said Indra Wahyudi Harahap, who also served as assistant coach for Indonesia’s men’s volleyball team during the 2023 Asian Games under head coach Jeff Jiang Jie.

Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are set to feature in their sixth World Cup as professional footballers. The tournament, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is widely expected to be their final appearance on football’s biggest stage.