After plans for Argentina to take on Spain fell apart this weekend, Lionel Messi and La Albiceleste are now set to face Guatemala during the March international break.
The highly anticipated Finalissima, set to unfold in Qatar on March 27, was officially canceled on Sunday due to the ongoing war in the Middle East. The reigning world champions rejected UEFA’s attempts to move the match to the Bernabéu in the Spanish capital, ultimately dashing the chance for fans to see Messi and Lamine Yamal face off for the first time in a competitive match.
Lionel Scaloni’s men then found themselves without any World Cup tune-up matches on their calendar ahead of this summer’s tournament, prompting the team to find an alternative: Guatemala.
La Albiceleste announced the new international friendly on Tuesday, which will take place on home soil on March 31. The team will travel to Argentina for a “week of intensive training” before kicking off against the Concacaf opponent.
Argentina’s Underwhelming Friendly Has World Cup Implications
It goes without saying that facing Guatemala instead of Spain is a tremendous drop off for Argentina. La Roja are one of the favorites to win the 2026 World Cup and have a star-studded squad that would give Scaloni’s side a proper test ahead of its title defense this summer.
Yet now, La Albiceleste must settle for a match against Guatemala, a team that did not even qualify for the tournament unfolding across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The match will likely be just another steamrolling from the reigning Copa América champions, much like nearly all of their clashes with Concacaf and CONMEBOL teams over the last few years.
The Finalissima was finally going to pit Argentina against a European powerhouse to help the team gear up for the World Cup, a strategy it used ahead of the 2022 edition. Messi and Co. faced Germany, Italy and Estonia to prepare for the tournament in Qatar, which they ended up winning.
Fellow South American giant Brazil is taking a similar approach in March by playing France and Croatia. Even the U.S. men’s national team has matches against Belgium and Portugal scheduled.
It remains to be seen whether Argentina will add to their schedule in the build-up to the 2026 World Cup, but as of now, its only planned tune-up comes against Guatemala.
Will Lionel Messi Play for Argentina vs. Guatemala?
Alarm bells sounded for both Argentina and Inter Miami when Messi did not travel with the Herons to Charlotte this weekend. Without their captain, Javier Mascherano’s men only managed a goalless draw with their Eastern Conference opponents.
Concerns were soon alleviated, though, when Inter Miami assistant manager Javier Morales confirmed Messi’s absence was just a precautionary measure to keep the 38-year-old fresh for the second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup against Nashville SC on Wednesday.
Should no further issues arise with Messi in the build-up to the match, it is likely the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will feature in the contest, especially since it is on home soil and the only game on the books for Argentina during the March international break.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Who Lionel Messi Is Facing Instead of Lamine Yamal After Finalissima Cancelation.
