Argentina's history in the World Cup is remarkable, boasting three championships: 1978 with Mario Kempes, 1986 led by Diego Maradona, and most recently in 2022 with Lionel Messi. As they aim for a fourth title in 2026, the question looms: Will Messi, one of the sport's greatest players, be leading the charge once again?

Defending champion Argentina celebrated throughout Tuesday as the team secured its place at the 2026 World Cup hours before an historic 4-1 win over archrival Brazil. Bolivia’s failure to beat Uruguay meant Argentina had enough cushion in South American qualifying to secure one of the continent’s six direct spots for the 48-team World Cup set to be co-hosted next year by the U.