Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Lionel Messi will be in the starting lineup for the national team’s friendly against Zambia at La Bombonera, a match that has taken on outsized importance as the world champions fine-tune their plans for the next World Cup.

Scaloni, speaking to reporters, made it clear that the captain is set to lead from the front after being eased back into action as a halftime substitute in Argentina’s narrow 2-1 win over Mauritania. That performance, against a side ranked outside the global elite, did little to reassure the coaching staff about the depth behind the established stars.

Messi’s start against Zambia is not just about giving fans a show at one of football’s most iconic stadiums. Scaloni is using this international window as a live laboratory to shape his 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, with every minute on the pitch treated as an audition.

According to the coach, the core of the list is already in place, but places on the fringes remain up for grabs. He stressed that recent displays, including the laboured win over Mauritania, have underlined the need for ruthless decisions. Performance, he said, will be the only currency that counts as he trims his options.

Scaloni also addressed the lingering question over Messi’s long-term international future. The forward has yet to publicly commit to playing at the next World Cup, and the manager refused to pressure him, instead framing the priority as ensuring that Messi enjoys every moment he spends with the national team.

He suggested that the upcoming tournament could be the last World Cup for the Argentina captain, while stopping short of declaring it definitively. What seems beyond doubt is the global appetite to see Messi on this stage again, with Scaloni noting that the desire to watch him play extends far beyond Argentina’s borders.

Argentina, champions in 1978, 1986, and 2022, are already looking ahead to a demanding group stage, where they will face Algeria in their opener in Kansas City before taking on Austria and Jordan. The Zambia friendly, with Messi back from the first whistle, is a key step in determining which supporting cast will join him on that journey.