Messi closes Argentina chapter, but Scaloni faces critical defensive transition

Lionel Messi, aged 39, bids farewell to the Argentine national team on 6 October at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, in a match against Benin. At the same time, Nicolás Otamendi also ends his international career. Argentina therefore loses two pillars simultaneously — a legendary attack and a defence that was central to winning two consecutive titles.

What happened

The farewell match is framed within a series of international fixtures. Argentina faces Bolivia on 30 September, then Burkina Faso on 3 October, and finally Benin on 6 October. The announcement of Messi's retirement was made at the end of August, allowing transition time between the public announcement and the symbolic moment on the pitch.

Messi completes six World Cups from 2006 onwards, scoring 21 goals in World Cup competitions and 125 for Argentina in total. At the last World Cup in 2022, the forward scored 8 goals in 8 matches, a performance that culminated in the title victory.

The actors and what each one wants

Lionel Scaloni, Argentina's coach since 2018, has a contract expiring in December. Negotiations over a possible extension remain open, and the coach has spoken about Messi's legacy. "I believe that a player like him deserves that," said Scaloni. The coach also emphasised: "For me, getting to coach him was the ultimate experience. It was a dream." And concluded with a reflection on the player's incomparable value: "There will never be anyone like him."

Cristian Romero assumes the role of new captain following Messi's retirement, becoming the symbolic heir to leadership. Nicolás Otamendi also ends his international career at the same time.

Claudio Tapia, AFA official, has a central role in decisions on Scaloni's continuity and the future structure of the national team. Younger players such as Tomás Palacios, Román Vega, Valentín Gómez, Tobías Andrada, Ezequiel Fernández, Santiago Simón and Leonel Flores represent Argentina's process of tactical and generational rebuilding.

Why this matters

Argentina won two Copa América titles with Scaloni — in 2021 and 2024 — following a critical recovery period that began in 2018, when the coach took over a national team shaken by early elimination at the previous World Cup. Those victories were built on a compact and coordinated defence, an asset that now faces significant change.

The reduced average age of the defence will require rapid adaptation. The stability achieved in recent years depends, however, on parallel decisions unfolding right now: Scaloni's contract renewal through December, the consolidation of new defensive leadership with Romero, and the successful integration of younger defenders. None of these questions has a guaranteed answer.

The challenge is not merely to replace a goalscorer — Messi scored 8 goals at the last World Cup. The challenge is to maintain the competitiveness of a project that depends on structural stability in technical command and defensive continuity, two elements now in transition.

What comes next

The decision on Scaloni's renewal should be taken by December, when the current contract expires. This timeline places the AFA and the coach in a negotiation with defined deadlines, but without public resolution yet.

Before that, Argentina will have the opportunity to test tactically and psychologically a defence with younger elements. These international fixtures will function as a laboratory for adjustments that could be critical for future competitions.

The context is also one of pressure to consolidate alternative goalscorers in relation to Messi, a dependency that marked the recent history of the national team. Argentina must now decide whether to maintain similar competitive objectives with this younger defensive generation or accept a longer transition cycle.