Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni made some notable statements regarding Lionel Messi ahead of the important match in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Tomorrow morning (March 26), Argentina will host Brazil in the 14th round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in South America.

In the pre-match press conference, coach Lionel Scaloni received a question about the controversial statement made by striker Raphinha on the opposing side. In this situation, the 46-year-old strategist took the initiative to ease the tension by mentioning a beautiful image between Messi and Neymar.

Specifically, he said: “I don’t go into the players’ statements, but I have heard them. This is a match between Argentina and Brazil, very important but in the end it is still just a football match.

I will always remember the image after the Copa America 2021 final, when Leo sat with Neymar on the steps of the Maracana stadium. That was the most memorable moment. Everyone wants to win, but things should not go beyond the limit.

In the previous match, young talent Thiago Almada shone with a superb long-range shot to bring victory to the reigning Copa America champions on the field of Uruguay. Scaloni praised his student, at the same time emphasizing that the whole team needs to learn to adapt if captain Messi is absent.

He added: “Thiago has been in the starting line-up and has shown that he fully deserves this position. He had an excellent game, not only with the ball but also with his defensive work. We are very happy with what he has brought. Of course, there are always areas for improvement, and we have analysed and pointed out to the players via video.

We need to find a way to play without Messi . Luckily, the team has many quality players, they always play great when Messi is absent, helping the team maintain stability.

Argentina are currently leading the standings with 28 points, six points ahead of the second-placed team. Lionel Scaloni’s team needs at least one point against Brazil to officially secure a ticket to the 2026 World Cup four matches early, and have more preparation to begin their journey to defend their title.

The match between Argentina and Brazil will take place at 7:00 am tomorrow morning (March 26).