Why did Lionel Scaloni decide to replace Leo Messi?

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June 17, 2026June 17, 2026By Mario Vásquez
Why did Lionel Scaloni decide to replace Leo Messi?

During the night of this Tuesday, June 16, the Argentine Lionel Messi He scored three goals in the group stage match against the Algerian team and, with 16 goals in six World Cups, equaled the record of the German Miroslav Klose as the top scorer in the history of the World Cup, a mark he reached in the 2014 Brazil edition.

At 38 years old, the Albiceleste captain arrived at this 2026 World Cup as world champion, after the milestone achieved in Qatar 2022. Therefore, the “10” of Inter Miami confessed that this tournament would serve as a transition for the more veteranslike him and Nicolas Otamendigave their place to the most youths.

However, who is often considered the better player in the world and one of the best of all time still has a lot to offer, and the match against the Algeria team, in Kansas City, Missouriwas an example of this, since the former soccer player FC Barcelona he was able to lead his team to a 3-0 victory.

Although he landed in the United States with muscle discomfortLeo Messi started the first game of the group stage as a starter and played almost 80 minutes, until the Argentine technical director Lionel Scaloni decided to replace it to give entry to Nicolas Pazconsidered by the coach as one of the next jewelry of the country.

Why did Scaloni decide to replace Messi?

Lionel Messi scored his hat trick against Algeria at minutes 17, 60 and 76, so his performance in Kansas City allowed him to become the most veteran in the history of the World Cup to score three goals in the same match, surpassing by more than five years Cristiano Ronaldowho scored a hat trick against Spain in it 2018.

However, four minutes after scoring his third goal, coach Lionel Scaloni decided replace to Leo Messi to receive the ovation of the more than 76 thousand spectators present at the Arrowhead Stadium from Kansas City, Missouri, who surrendered before the “10” from Rosario, who once again dazzle to millions of fans.

Read more about Luca Zidane and his mask: Why will the son of the French legend play in the World Cup with Algeria?

Additionally, the Albiceleste coach had commented before the match against Algeria that the captain was ready to play approximately 70 minutesdue to the physical discomfort he had been carrying since Miami. However, it allowed the star to remain on the field longer with the hope that he scored another goal.

Therefore, although he was substituted only ten minutes before the match ended, the substitution also allows Messi to have a greater rest than his teammates who played the entire game, such as Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul, Facundo Medina and Lisandro Martínez, five of the pillars of the team.

The following challenges for the Albiceleste

After starting the group stage of the 2026 World Cup on the right foot, the Argentina team will try to secure the lead in the Group J In the next two days, when he faces Austria on Monday June 22 already Jordan on Saturday June 27two selections that, on paper, seem very lower to the Albiceleste.

If Argentina finishes in first place in Group J, they would have to face in the round of 32 to the selection that finishes in second place in the Group H. Therefore, its possible rivals would be Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Spain or Cape Verde.

Even though Uruguayans and Spaniards they leave like favoritesSaudi Arabia and Cape Verde have already shown that they can give the surprise.

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