How Argentina could line up at next World Cup without Lionel Messi as ex-teammate admits he may be finished with football

Lionel Messi has shown he can still play on a big stage at the World Cup, but he looks like he could be finished with football.

That is the opinion of Matias Fondato, who was at Newell’s Old Boys when Argentina’s captain first joined his boyhood club in Rosario.

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Messi’s international future has been plunged into doubt after he was unable to lead his country to back-to-back World Cup titles.

The 2022 champions surrendered their title following a 1-0 loss to Spain on Sunday after extra-time in a one-sided final.

That may be the last World Cup game for 39-year-old Messi, who broke down in tears after the defeat in New York.

Argentina’s captain would be 43 by the time the next tournament rolls around, and Fondato feels he now looks like he’ll walk away.

Messi ‘could be finished with football’

“I’ve heard that the Finalissima is maybe going to be played in November or December, something like that,” Fondato told Jeff Stelling and Gabby Agbonlahor on talkSPORT Breakfast.

“My hope is that he’s still there for that game. But yeah, it’s going to be very personal.

“If you ask me, if I see him still playing, I would say he showed everyone that he can still be for the big stages.

“But I don’t know, it’s going to be a personal decision. And you can tell that also he looks like he’s done with everything.”

Messi may not be the only key Argentine star to call it quits, with Fondato believing the Argentina squad needs a refresh.

“There might be a special situation of any player making it, but in general, yeah, there’s a new generation of young players coming.

“Even the manager said that we need like a kind of renewal in all senses…

“There are some players that probably are not going to make it. I would say half of the team will still be at a decent age.

“I mean, even if they get picked or not are still on a decent age to play the next World Cup.”

Argentina’s XI without Messi

La Albiceleste’s goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, had claimed he would retire from international football if Argentina went back-to-back.

While that didn’t happen, the Aston Villa shot-stopper will be 37 by the 2030 World Cup and may be better suited to a back-up role.

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‘Dibu’ Martinez would only be a few months shy of his 38th birthday if Argentina again make a deep run in Morocco, Portugal and Spain.

However, River Plate’s No.1 Santiago Beltrán will be entering his prime at 25 and was in Lionel Scaloni’s thinking ahead of the World Cup.

Ironically, the now-21-year-old keeper has even been linked with a move to Villa Park to replace Martinez at both club and country.

Beltrán only made his senior debut in January but has already kept 13 clean sheets in 26 matches, and was handed his first Argentina cap during the pre-tournament 2–0 victory against Honduras last month.

Full-back was arguably La Albiceleste’s weakest point at the World Cup just gone, but the country have several gems waiting in the wings.

Nicolás Tagliafico is already 33 – the same age Gonzalo Montiel will be in 2030, with Nahuel Molina and Facundo Medina both set to be in their early thirties for the next tournament as well.

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Palmeiras right-back Agustin Giay has been on the fringes of Scaloni’s pre-World Cup squads, in a similar fashion to River Plate’s Beltrán.

On the opposite flank, Julio Soler could make the left-back role his own if he continues to kick on at Bournemouth.

The 21-year-old made just five appearances for the Cherries last season, three in the Premier League, having arrived in January 2025.

The Paraguayan-born Argentine youth international, who starred at the Paris Olympics, was previously on the radar of Liverpool.

In central defence, Argentina may want to hold onto their tried and trusted partnership of Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero.

Yet both suffered injuries in the World Cup final, and may prove too big a combined risk when they come into 2030 at 32-years-old.

Instead, Chelsea’s Aaron Anselmino will hope to have developed into a defensive leader after a promising loan at Borussia Dortmund.

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Two of his Blues teammates could be a midfield option ahead of him, with Valentin Barco looking to make an impact on the pitch this time.

Alongside him will likely be Enzo Fernandez, who, at age 29 in 2030, will be desperate to atone for his red card in the World Cup final.

In Messi’s absence, Como superstar Nico Paz could be trusted with the keys to Argentina’s attack in his favoured No.10 position.

The 21-year-old Spanish-born attacker played just twice at the World Cup after a season in which he scored 21 Serie A goal contributions.

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On the right, his ex-Real Madrid teammate Franco Mastantuono is a leading option to take the shirt after a stop-start international career.

The 18-year-old four-cap international became the youngest player ever to appear in an official match for La Albiceleste last year.

But Mastantuono, once viewed as a potential heir to Messi, was left out of Scaloni’s World Cup squad following his struggles at Madrid.

Unless Alejandro Garnacho can make the most of his imminent Aston Villa lifeline, he looks to be destined to be left out in the cold again.

Thiago Almada is a contender to play on the left wing, but Argentine fans have a close eye on the emergence of Tomas Aranda.

The 19-year-old only made his professional debut with Boca Juniors in January, but immediately caught the eye of Argentina boss Scaloni.

So much so that Aranda was handed his maiden senior international cap in June and will be a key component for years to come.

Meanwhile, it looks to be a straight shootout between Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez to see who leads the line.

The latter has the advantage of being two years younger, while a potential move to Arsenal would take his game to another level.