Messi to Retire from International Play; Argentina Prepares for Post-Icon Era

Tuesday, October 6, is going to be a historic day: Argentinian soccer star Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players in the history of the game, will play his final game with the national team after he announced his decision to retire from international soccer last month . Messi, who won two Copa Americas and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with Argentina , will play his last match ever at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires and it's expected to be one of the biggest moments in his career. Many of his former teammates and current Argentina internationals will be in Buenos Aires to bid farewell to their idol. But with Messi's international career nearing its end, questions are already being raised about the future of the Albiceleste. Who will lead the next generation? Which players will follow Messi out of the national team? And what lies ahead for head coach Lionel Scaloni? Here's all you need to know.

Who will follow Messi?

The Argentinian national team will likely change a lot in the upcoming cycle that will lead to the 2030 World Cup that will be hosted by Spain, Morocco and Portugal. It's not clear yet which players are likely to follow Leo Messi's retirement, but players such as Nicolas Tagliafico, Nicolas Otamendi, Leandro Paredes and Rodrigo De Paul are unlikely to be part of the next tournament that will take place in four years. Even though there are still doubts over the matter, and no other player has officially announced their departure from the national team, it is easy to imagine that these players, who are particularly close to Messi both on and off the pitch, could also say goodbye to international soccer in the near future. This is a moment of change for the Argentinian national team, only a few weeks after losing the 2026 World Cup final to Spain and after the decision of Lionel Messi to leave the Albiceleste and play his farewell game on October 6.

Who will lead the new cycle?

Argentina have already announced their new captain for the upcoming cycle after Messi's retirement. Atletico Madrid defender Cristian Romero will be the new Argentinian captain, followed by Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Inter striker Lautaro Martinez. It's clear that no player will be able to replace the character of Messi on the pitch, and manager Lionel Scaloni will definitely have to rely on some new talents that have emerged over the last few years who could play in similar positions on the pitch. Real Madrid's loanee Franco Mastantuono was widely considered as one of the best emerging talents in Argentina when he was playing for River Plate before completing his move to the Spanish giants, but after some early struggles in his new team he recently moved on loan to Fiorentina where he's currently playing, hoping to gain his confidence back before making his way back to Real Madrid.

Alongside Mastantuono, Como attacker Nico Paz is also one of the best Argentinian emerging talents right now.The 22-year-old Argentine was already called up by Scaloni for the 2026 World Cup, but from now on, he will be expected to take on a greater role as possibly the team's most talented and creative player. And while obviously nobody can replace Messi, he's probably the player with more expectations for the future.

At the same time, Argentina can count on some crucial players that are part of the current roster that can lead the new cycle. Among them, Manchester City midfielder Enzo Fernandez, Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez and Inter captain Lautaro Martinez. Players who can, with their experience in the national team and in their clubs, help the new generation to integrate as soon as possible in the roster.

Scaloni's biggest task

It's never easy, historically, for a team to cope with the absence of such a legend of the game. It has happened in multiple sports, not only soccer, and will be no different for Argentina and their coach Lionel Scaloni. After the 2026 World Cup, there were also questions about the future of the manager, who raised doubts about his short-term future in the national team. Despite the rumours, the Argentine FA offered Scaloni a new deal until the 2030 World Cup, asking him to lead the project after the end of the Messi era, and according to the latest reports, he's now close to signing a new deal.

Scaloni will have one main challenge to deal with, beyond the technical task of replacing Messi and coping with his absence. Since taking over as interim coach in 2018, Scaloni has had to manage the pressure surrounding Messi, who had previously endured a difficult period with the national team and struggled to deliver major trophies. Step by step, Scaloni helped Messi to achieve his dreams and won the 2022 World Cup as well, but all the players who played in the national team since he was the manager all worked together to help their captain to achieve his childhood dreams. All egos, individual targets, and personal ambitions were left behind to help Messi. Looking back, players weren't celebrating for themselves but for Messi. When Lautaro Martinez scored the winning goal in the semifinal earlier this year against England, completing an incredible comeback in the last minutes of the game, the whole team ran to Messi, including Lautaro himself. A celebration that tells us how much he was loved and respected in the squad.

From now on, things will be different. Egos, individual ambitions and strong personalities will inevitably come back, and it will be up to Scaloni and the team's most experienced players to manage them and keep Argentina united without their leader and most important player.

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/lionel-messi-whats-next-for-argentina-retire-international-competition/)._