Argentina with Messi achieved one of the greatest feats in football history in 2022 by lifting the World Cup. Messi finally got the full respect he had long craved in his home country. After years of carrying the hopes of a football obsessed nation, he could finally call himself a complete footballer.
He was named the tournament’s best player, capping a career many already considered the greatest ever.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- Infantino Faces Criticism Over Private Jet Use at World Cup
- Boko Haram Releases 416 Abducted Women, Children In Borno
- MTN Boss Rejects Claims of Expensive Data in Nigeria
But what nobody saw coming was another mind blowing performance four years later.
Coming into the 2026 World Cup, there were genuine concerns about Messi’s condition. Just weeks before the tournament, the Inter Miami star suffered muscle fatigue in his left hamstring and was forced off during an MLS match. Questions quickly emerged about whether the 38 year old could still handle the demands of football’s biggest stage.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni carefully managed his captain’s workload during the team’s preparations, while fans anxiously awaited signs that their leader would be ready.
Those fears disappeared on June 16.
Against Algeria in Argentina’s opening match, Messi delivered one of the greatest World Cup performances of his career, scoring all three goals in a dominant 3-0 victory. It was his first ever World Cup hat trick, his 16th World Cup goal, and a performance that saw him draw level with Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s all time leading scorer.
Twenty years after scoring his first World Cup goal as a teenager in Germany, Messi was once again carrying Argentina on football’s grandest stage.
So can Argentina win back to back World Cups?
The evidence says yes.
Before the tournament began, Argentina already looked stronger than most defending champions in history. They arrived as Copa America winners, having won three major trophies since 2021.
They topped South American qualifying by nine points and produced some of their best performances even without Messi on the pitch. More importantly, they retained the core of the squad that lifted the trophy in Qatar.
Players such as Emiliano Martínez, Cristian Romero, Otamendi, De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez and Messi himself remain central figures in Scaloni’s squad. The only major player absent is Di Maria.
That continuity matters.
History suggests defending a World Cup is incredibly difficult. Only Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962 have successfully defended the trophy.
Yet this Argentina side appears different because the hunger has not disappeared. Many champions become satisfied after reaching the summit. Argentina seem determined to climb it again.
Their mentality may be their greatest weapon.
Throughout the Scaloni era, Argentina have repeatedly shown an ability to thrive under pressure. They recovered from a shocking opening defeat to Saudi Arabia in 2022 to become world champions. They won consecutive Copa America titles. They continue to perform in decisive matches. Former players have repeatedly pointed to the squad’s competitive mentality as the foundation of its success.
Messi’s hat trick only strengthens that belief.
Four years ago, he was completing football. Today, he is chasing immortality.
If Argentina become the first nation in more than six decades to defend a World Cup title, the achievement would rank alongside the greatest accomplishments in football history. It would elevate Scaloni into the conversation with the sport’s greatest national team coaches.
It would confirm this generation as Argentina’s finest since the days of Diego Maradona. And for Messi, it would add another chapter to a legacy many already consider untouchable.
The statistics still warn against it. Injuries remain a concern. The defence can still look vulnerable under pressure.
But after what the world witnessed against Algeria, dismissing Argentina would be foolish.
The defending champions arrived in America carrying history on their shoulders.
Now they are beginning to look like a team capable of making even more history.
