Will the next Lionel Messi please step up?

Kansas City, Missouri – The search for Argentina’s next Lionel Messi is really a search for the impossible.

But La Albiceleste must confront the reality.

For Argentina and football fans worldwide, the Messi story seemed to have reached its cinematic climax when he hoisted the trophy in Qatar in 2022, finally etching his name into World Cup history.

Everyone, even Messi himself, seemed to think the journey was complete.

And yet, one final chapter remains and his attempt to go back-to-back at the World Cup will see him begin with group-stage games against Algeria on June 16 (July 17, Singapore time) at the Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, followed by matches against Austria and Jordan.

And surely now, with the 2026 edition, his farewell will mark the beginning of a new era.

The “next Messi” label has been stuck on every other promising youth player, but the reality is that there may not be another footballer who can match the Argentinian’s wizardry and his magic left foot.

In 2022, Messi delivered one of the most dominant individual performances in tournament history, scoring seven goals – two of which came in the final against France – and provided three assists in seven matches.

Those displays saw him win the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.

Who could lift the burden off the football icon’s shoulders? Some promising signs emerged at the last edition in Qatar.

Alvarez the rising star

Sharpshooter Julian Alvarez had a splendid World Cup himself.

Following substitute appearances in the painful opening defeat by Saudi Arabia and victory over Mexico, he got the nod to start the third group game against Poland, where he bagged the second and final goal.

He was then rewarded with a starting berth all the way to the final, scoring three more goals, including a brace in a 3-0 semi-final win over Croatia.

Now at Atletico Madrid, but strong links to Barcelona – where Messi made a name in club football – are just more indication of the former Manchester City man’s talent.

The 26-year-old, who can operate as a main forward, second striker or as an attacking midfielder, is one of football’s most lethal finishers and his off-the-ball work makes him a prized asset.

In an interview with Fifa.com in the lead-up to the World Cup, Alvarez said when asked how he has changed as a player: “I wouldn’t say my style has changed much since 2022, but I’ve learnt some new concepts and improved in certain areas.

“I have more experience now given how many matches I’ve played in the last few years. Above all, wearing this shirt gives you an extra push and you do get better over time, even if you don’t realise it.”

In the United States, the stage is set for Alvarez to finally emerge from Messi’s shadow and seize the spotlight for himself.

Messi-like Paz

World Cup debutant Nico Paz, 21, is a player who shares the most similarities to Messi.

Like Messi, Paz is a creative, left-footed playmaker who has excellent dribbling, vision, and ability to score from set pieces. He also has Messi’s endorsement. In 2025, Paz was the only compatriot the legend named in a list of 10 young players he believed possessed the greatest potential.

He has travelled to Kansas in good form. On-loan at Serie A side Como from Real Madrid, Paz scored 12 goals and provided seven assists in 35 matches, as his team secured a surprise qualification for the Champions League.

Como head coach Cesc Fabregas – who has seen what Messi can do in close quarters as his former teammate at Barcelona – said about Paz: “I’m very confident about his future because I can recognise when a player has the mindset to become a top player. If he continues like this, he can go wherever he wants.”

While it remains to be seen how much of an opportunity coach Lionel Scaloni gives the youngster in the US, Paz will grab them with both hands.

Almada has ‘pace and intensity’

Atletico playmaker Thiago Almada could also be a contender.

The right-footed player, who was a crucial player during qualification, excels as a creative playmaker but is also able to play out wide.

At 25, Almada is primed to make a breakthrough at this World Cup. In 2022, he became the first active Major League Soccer player to be part of a World Cup-winning squad, although he played just six minutes, coming on as a substitute in a 2-0 win over Poland in the group stage.

He has since gone on to play for Lyon in Ligue 1 and is now part of Diego Simeone’s side in La Liga.

Paying tribute to Almada’s development since the 2022 World Cup, Scaloni said: “Making the move to Europe has been key for him. He’s earned himself a starting spot in the side after a very short space of time.

“He’s a player we know well. He’s been through all the youth teams and was part of the Qatar 2022 squad. The most important thing is that he plays with the pace and intensity that the team needs.”

Speaking to Argentina fans, it is clear that they still see Messi as the main man.

Lucas Bilbao, an Argentinian based in Singapore, said: “He still wants to play the full 90 minutes, he still demands the ball, he still wants to be the one carrying the team. And he is still in condition to do it.

“Of course he is not the same Messi as 10 years ago, nobody is asking him to be, but he is still the best player in the world for me.”

But Bilbao admits that they need other players “who can create and decide games, because every rival sets up their entire defence around stopping Messi”.

He added: “The answer is not really about who replaces Messi in the starting 11, but about who comes off the bench to change the game. For me there are three names: Almada, Paz and (Inter Milan forward) Lautaro Martinez.

“Those three are the ones who can come in and change everything.”

Perhaps fans need not be too worried, as history showed us who stepped up when another Argentinian icon – Diego Maradona – retired.

The stage is set, the protagonists are ready. As Argentina’s greatest takes his final bow at this World Cup, the tournament may be remembered for something else: the moment football discovered its next Messi.