An ageing squad, a manager in tears and no obvious Messi successor — the questions Argentina must answer before 2030

The 2026 World Cup is over, with Argentina finishing as runners-up after a 1-0 defeat to Spain. The Albiceleste's future is surrounded by uncertainty. Lionel Messi, at 39, is approaching retirement, and it is almost impossible to imagine him competing at the next World Cup. Manager Lionel Scaloni's contract runs only until December and he left his continuation in the balance, despite ongoing negotiations for a renewal and a positive relationship with the federation.

'I have an idea of what I want to do, I will fulfil the contract and then I will see. The truth is that I feel the need to think, because I do not know if something this big can be done again.' — Scaloni, speaking in tears at his post-match press conference, which he cut short.

Beyond the possible absence of the greatest player in Argentina's history and an uncertain managerial situation, the squad itself will also go through a major overhaul, with a significant number of the 2022 world champions likely to move on.

Given their age, Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul and Geronimo Rulli are all among the names unlikely to feature in the next cycle. That raises considerable expectations about which players will fill those positions and form the new spine of the Albiceleste.

Argentina's future in question

Argentina are expected to look very different by 2030. Throughout the cycle leading to the 2026 edition, Scaloni used the opportunity to test different options, and several players emerged as candidates to take on starting roles — including the experienced Leonardo Balerdi (27) and Marcos Senesi (29) in central defence, and the young pair of Valentin Barco (21) and Nico Paz (21) in midfield.

Between now and 2030, however, Argentina will need to assess every sector of the team to identify the new core of the squad. The position attracting the most attention is in goal — both Emiliano Martinez (33), the undisputed first choice, and Rulli, his immediate deputy, may have ended their time with the Albiceleste before the next World Cup. The goalkeeper position is one where players can continue at the top level at more advanced ages than most.

'Argentina have plenty of material to replace the great names who are leaving and who gave everything for the national team. In defence, I see Balerdi performing very well. Senesi is another. There are youngsters in Argentine football doing excellent work — like Tomas Palacios at Estudiantes. There are many young players who will be ready when the great athletes who made such a difference in the history of Argentina's team finish their cycle.' — Graciela Basiano, Argentina supporter, speaking to Trivela.

Beyond Barco and Paz, Franco Mastantuono of Real Madrid is another young player attracting significant interest. The Albiceleste's youth setup has shown its quality — they reached the Under-20 World Cup final, suffering a narrow defeat against Morocco in the deciding match.

Argentina's full-back situation is a problem for 2030

Another challenge relates to the full-back positions. For the 2026 World Cup, Scaloni used Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel on the right side while Tagliafico was the only natural left-back in the squad. In some matches, Facundo Medina, a central defender, had to be used out of position.

With Tagliafico's probable departure from the national team, left-back is likely to become one of the most pressing concerns for the next cycle. Much like Brazil, Argentina also struggles to find full-backs at international level, making it one of the most underprovided positions in the squad.

Valentin Barco appeared to be an alternative at left-back, but the youngster has consolidated himself in midfield — a role Scaloni has used him in throughout this World Cup, leaving left-back options thin.

On the right, Molina and Montiel should still be of the right age by 2030. The Atletico Madrid defender will be 32 in 2030, while the River Plate player will be 33.

What about Messi?

The most complicated farewell of all is that of Lionel Messi. The player who competed in six World Cups and won the title in 2022 reached another final in 2026, and must now almost certainly be approaching the end of his international career. At 39 now, he would be 43 by 2030 — an age at which almost no footballer continues to play at the top level — and while we are speaking of Messi, arguably the greatest player of his generation, another World Cup is practically impossible.

Argentina's all-time leading scorer, with 124 international goals, looks set to bring his national team career to a close, and that is a farewell that hurts deeply for Argentine supporters. Imagining the national team without Messi is almost unthinkable, given that he has been the defining figure of an entire generation.

That makes it extremely difficult to identify any player who could be considered his true replacement. Many supporters point to Nico Paz as Messi's natural successor, though even that is difficult to assert given how early the youngster still is in his international career.

'Messi is Messi. Of course, at some point he will be replaced, but we are talking about the greatest player in football history. The glory with Argentina came later in his career, and there is no doubt that his absence will be felt enormously when he finishes his cycle with the Albiceleste. He will leave a void. He is an extraordinary player. For 20 years he has been the best player in the world. Throughout those two decades, he has consistently delivered everywhere he has been. There is not much more to say about Messi — everyone already knows who he is and what he represents for football. For the future, I see Nico Paz as the main candidate to occupy the space Messi will leave behind.' — Graciela Basiano.