Lionel Messi’s successor? Argentina star targets turning into next national team captain
Lionel Messi has earned the right to wear the Argentina captain’s armband — not only because of his superstar status and on-field brilliance, but also due to his leadership in the later stages of his career. Still, at 38 years old, the moment to pass the baton is approaching, and one Argentina star has his sights set on becoming the Albiceleste’s next captain.
The armband hasn’t changed hands often during the Lionel Scaloni era, with only occasional rotations when Messi has been unavailable or started matches on the bench. One player who hasn’t yet taken part in those brief captaincy opportunities, however, is Enzo Fernández, and the midfielder has now openly put himself in line to become the national team’s future leader.
In an interview with GiveMeSport’s Ben Jacobs, the Chelsea star shared his ambition: “I dream of captaining Argentina but that decision doesn’t come down to me. It’s up to the coaching staff. Of course, I dream of being the Argentina captain. I don’t know when it might be. Time will tell and it’s up to the coaching staff to make the decision. It’s certainly one of my dreams and I’d be honoured to wear the captain’s armband.“
The midfielder remained grounded, keeping his focus on the upcoming World Cup across the USA, Canada, and Mexico. “My thoughts are on the present, though. Winning the World Cup is in the past and we are focused on what lies ahead. We know it could be Messi’s last World Cup, so we’ll aim to defend our title from Qatar as a team. Let’s hope for a kind draw,” he concluded.
Enzo burst onto the scene rapidly, first starring at River Plate and then at Benfica, where he earned a late call-up to Argentina’s 2022 World Cup squad and played a decisive role in their title run. Now sharing captain armband at Chelsea with Reece James, the midfielder aims to reach a similar status with Argentina, even at just 24 years old.
Who were Argentina’s captains during Scaloni’s era?
Lionel Scaloni began his tenure as Argentina head coach in 2018 on an interim basis after a disappointing World Cup in Russia, a time when Messi remained far from universally celebrated at home. Now, with 90 matches in charge, Messi has established himself as the primary armband-holder, captaining Argentina in 61 of those games and leaving limited opportunities for others.
Rounding out the list are Ángel Di María with nine matches as captain and Nicolás Otamendi with eight. They’re followed by Nicolás Tagliafico (4), Germán Pezzella (3), Cristian Romero (2), Sergio Romero (2), and Gabriel Mercado (1).
Among the current squad, only Otamendi, Tagliafico, and Romero have stepped in when Messi has been absent. Still, with the Inter Miami star and the Benfica defender nearing the end of their national team careers (at 38 and 37 years old, respectively), Enzo Fernández appears poised to eventually compete with Tagliafico or Romero for the role, making the Chelsea midfielder a strong candidate to succeed Messi once he steps away.