Lionel Messi and Argentina play their final warm-up games before the World Cup this week. First up is Mauritania on March 27, followed by Zambia on March 31 — two friendlies that carry more weight than the opposition might suggest.
Messi, who scored his 900th career goal for Inter Miami against Nashville on March 18, has still not publicly confirmed he will play at the 2026 World Cup in North America. When asked in December whether he would be on the plane, he declined to give a definitive answer. At 38 years old, every appearance now feels significant.
Argentina qualified comfortably from the CONMEBOL group, finishing in the top six as defending champions. They arrive in this window as the bookmakers' joint-favourite for the tournament alongside France and Brazil.
Coach Lionel Scaloni is expected to use these games to finalise combinations in midfield and attack, with De Paul, Mac Allister, Álvarez and Dybala all competing for roles alongside Messi. The starting XIs across both games will tell us a great deal about Scaloni's thinking before the squad announcement.
