Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates his goal this Tuesday, in a match of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup between Argentina and Bolivia, in the most monumental stadium in Buenos Aires (Argentina).
Photo: EFE – Luciano González
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Confirmed by Lionel Scaloni: Lionel Messi will start again on Tuesday in the match between Argentina and Colombiacorresponding to day 16 of the South American Qualifiers towards the 2026 World Cup.
This will happen almost seven months later of the last game that 'La Pulga' played as head of the Albiceleste. It was on November 19, 2024, in the match corresponding to the twelfth date of the qualifiers that Argentina played at home against Peru in La Bombonerathe Boca Juniors stadium, and not in the Monumental, 'House' usual of those of Scaloni.
The Inter Miami striker was lost by injury the last window of the World Cup qualifiers: the matches against Uruguay in Montevideo (0-1) y against Brazil in Buenos Aires (4-1), disputed last March, in which the Albiceleste assured her presence in the appointment of Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Already recovered, in his return to the calls of Scaloni, Last Thursday he was a substitute against Chile (0-1) as a visitor And this Tuesday will be part of the starting eleven.
“Leo will play as an entrance. We have no doubts and Hopefully people enjoy him and team”, Said the 'Albiceleste' coach at the press conference prior to the meeting on Tuesday, offered at the Lionel Messi site, located in the Buenos Aires town of Ezeiza.
Scaloni said his team “It is at a time when you can play in the same way with or without Leo”unlike other moments, in which “it was a bit more complex, because maybe you had to change more players.”
“Today we do not have that need and the team works the same. I don't know if it is the best moment; after the Copa América 2021 (won by Argentina in Brazil) we had good games. This is per game and we do not analyze whether or not it is the best moment. We have maintained a line and that is what interests us, ”said Pujato coach (Santa Fe province).
On Colombia, Scaloni emphasized that “It is a bit strange to say that it is in a bump “because, in his opinion, it is a team that deserved “to win a lot of games in which He had no luck“And he added that” statistics sometimes don't tell the truth. “
“It's a good team, I would say the best. It is up to the best selections in the world, ”said the Argentine coach.
About the current state of its players, he acknowledged that “it makes no sense to think” if Argentina is “the best selection in the world.”
“Beyond being the best or not, We are a competitive team that can play equally with anyone. It is a debate that does not interest me. It is true that we are a selection that competes and we will always be to make our opponent difficult, ”he concluded.
Argentinaleader of the table, with 34 points, is the only South American team that has assured its presence in the 2026which he achieved in advance two days ago; Colombia will try to take a definitive step towards that World Cup ticketsince it is sixth, with 21 points, the same as Uruguay (fifth) and three more than Venezuela (18), which currently occupies the Plaza del Repechaje.
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