The man who finally conquered his last peak in Qatar is not done climbing. Lionel Messi will feature at his sixth World Cup this summer in North America, and Argentina enters the tournament as holder—a distinction that has brought more grief than glory in recent decades.
Aimimng for Rare Company
Only two nations in the 96-year history of the World Cup have successfully defended the ir title. Vittorio Pozzo's Italy did it in 1934 and 1938. Brazil, powered by a teenage Pelé in 1958, repeated the feat in 1962. No team has managed it since. Argentina now sits alongside those two as the only sides to attempt a defense, and the odds favor completion: Messi remains, even at 38, one of the planet's foremost players.
The record does not need much decoration; it already does the talking.
The Holdrs' Curse Finds Its Exception
The defending champions have exited at the group stage in four of the past six tournaments. Argentina, though, brings 17 players who also hoisted the trophy in Qatar—Coach Lionel Scaloni chose continuity over youth movement. That loyalty has a practical edge: Messi proved available after a hamstring injury in Inter Miami's final MLS fixture before the break, and that availability was always going to matter more than any speculative regeneration.
A Third Star With in Reach
In 1990, Diego Maradona's holders reached the final in Rome before West Germany edged a dull contest. That remains Argentina's closest prior attempt at back-to-back appearances. France came closest to repeating in 2022 but fell to Messi's side on penalties after Mbappé's hat-trick—regarded, admittedly, as one of the sport's greatest finals. The arithmetic is simple now: one more title puts Argentina level with Italy on three, and just two behind Brazil's five.