Lionel Messi returns to action with the Argentine national team Thursday night for a 2026 World Cup qualifying match on the road against Paraguay.
While Messi has not declared he will play in the next World Cup, he is still playing games with Argentina to help them qualify for the tournament in the twilight of his legendary career.
Messi is expected to start and captain Argentina against Paraguay, which will be his second-to-last game in 2024. He’ll play one more match this year as Argentina hosts Peru next Tuesday in Buenos Aires.
Messi, the Inter Miami star in Major League Soccer, saw his historic MLS season come to an end with a first-round exit to Atlanta United last Saturday.
Argentina sits atop the Conmebol World Cup standings leading the South American teams with 22 points, while Paraguay is tied for sixth with 13 points.
The big storyline heading into this Paraguay match: Will fans adhere to Paraguay’s ban of Messi jerseys to field a greater home-pitch advantage?
The match will be live streamed on Fanatiz pay-per-view for $29.99.
The match begins 6:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. in Argentina, and 8:30 p.m in Paraguay).
Yes, Messi is expected to start and captain Argentina in the match.
Paraguayan Football Association manager Fernando Villasboa wants fans to support the home side in Thursday’s match. He issued a ban for Argentina jerseys, jerseys of Argentine clubs, and jerseys supporting Argentina players on other clubs around the world.
That includes Messi’s Argentina, Barcelona and Inter Miami jerseys (okay, maybe a few Paris Saint-Germain ones, too).
“We won’t allow the other team’s shirt. It’s not a problem against Messi. We respect the careers of all footballers. It’s just that the home ground is very important to us,” Villasboa said at news conference on Wednesday.
The match also puts a spotlight on Paraguay’s Diego Gomez, the No. 1 player on the MLS 22 under 22 list from this season and Messi’s Inter Miami teammate.
It’ll be their first match against each other in international play.
Messi posted a farewell to the 2024 MLS season on his Instagram account this week, following Inter Miami’s playoff exit.
“A season ended in which we continued to grow as a club and, although we achieved some goals, we wanted more,” Messi wrote on Instagram Monday. “Thanks to all the people who joined and supported us. Now let’s get ready to come back stronger next year.”
Here’s more on what’s next for Messi next year and beyond.

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