Argentina's next 10 years without Lionel Messi: Who replaces him and what happens next?

Lionel Messi's extraordinary Argentina career will come to an end on Tuesday 6th October, with the legendary magician set to make his final appearance for his country against Benin.

After lifting the 2021 and 2024 Copa America, as well as the 2022 World Cup, Messi leaves behind an Argentina side that has enjoyed an extraordinary period of success, but there is now one obvious question: who comes next?

Argentina's golden era may be ending, but there is plenty of evidence to suggest La Albiceleste can remain among international football's elite for years to come.

Sports Mole takes a look at how the next ten years could look below.

Who can replace Lionel Messi for Argentina?

There will be no direct replacement for Messi, nor should there be any attempt to find one.

Instead, Argentina are likely to spread the creative burden across a new generation, with Como 1907 playmaker Nico Paz emerging as the most obvious candidate to inherit the iconic number 10 role.

Paz has the technical quality and vision to become Argentina's chief creator, while Franco Mastantuono offers a more direct and explosive alternative.

The pair could ultimately form one of the most exciting attacking partnerships in international football, with Paz operating as the chief playmaker and Mastantuono providing unpredictability from wider areas.

Then there is the tried-and-tested Julian Alvarez, who could become the face of Argentina's attack as the next generation settles in. The Atletico Madrid forward is unlikely to replicate Messi's influence, but his work rate, movement and goalscoring ability should make him one of the team's senior figures for the next major tournament cycle.

Lautaro Martinez could also provide an important bridge during the initial transition, although at 29 he is unlikely to be part of Argentina's long-term core. Claudio Echeverri, meanwhile, remains a wildcard after an inconsistent start to his senior career.

By 2030, Argentina could therefore have a team built around Paz, Mastantuono, Alvarez rather than one revolving around a single superstar.

Predicting Argentina's next four major tournaments

The first major test of the post-Messi era should come at the 2028 Copa America, and Argentina are capable of making an immediate statement.

With Paz and Mastantuono likely approaching their prime and Alvarez established as a senior attacking threat, the Albiceleste could go all the way.

Argentina could still win the 2028 Copa America without the nation's hero, with Paz potentially emerging as the tournament's standout creative player.

The 2030 World Cup should provide an even clearer indication of whether Argentina can genuinely remain a superpower without Messi.

With the competition being staged across Spain, Portugal and Morocco, alongside centenary matches in South America, there will be an added sense of occasion.

Argentina may not quite have enough to win it, but a run to the semi-finals feels realistic. By then, Paz should be 26, Mastantuono 23 and Alvarez 30, giving Lionel Scaloni - or whoever succeeds him - an elite core to work with.

The transition may become more difficult at the 2032 Copa America, where Argentina could fall short at the semi-final stage as another generation begins pushing through.

By the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, the likes of Paz, Mastantuono and Alvarez will be older, while the squad could be undergoing another rebuild. A quarter-final exit would represent a slight decline, but hardly a crisis.

Argentina's post-Messi outlook

They may never again possess a player capable of dominating matches and defining an era in the way Messi did, but that does not mean their golden period has to end with his retirement.

Argentina's greatest strength could instead become their depth of talent, strong footballing identity and ability to continuously produce technically gifted players.

By October 2036, Messi will have been retired from international football for a decade, and Argentina may finally be judged on their own terms rather than in comparison with him.

Winning another Copa America and reaching the latter stages of a World Cup may not match the extraordinary heights of the Messi era, but it would still make Argentina one of the world's most consistently competitive national teams.