Lionel Messi returned to action for Argentina in front of a packed Estadio Monumental, with fans eager to see him lead the team against Colombia in Matchday 16 of the 2026 CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers. But when he was surprisingly subbed off while the team was still trailing, head coach Lionel Scaloni explained the decision behind the unexpected move.
Despite being in the latter stages of his career, it remains uncommon to see Messi taken off the field. Known for his fierce competitiveness, the Argentine captain typically plays every possible minute—regardless of form or match context. That’s why his substitution came as a surprise, especially with Argentina still chasing an equalizer after Luis Díaz’s first-half goal.
In the 78th minute, Messi handed the captain’s armband to Cristian Romero and made way for midfielder Exequiel Palacios, a change that left many in the stadium stunned. Speaking in the post-match press conference, Scaloni provided some clarity:
“At first, he wasn’t going to come off, but when he saw that we were about to make two changes, he told me it was better for him to come off, so I took him out—otherwise, he wouldn’t have come off. You already know how this works, and what I think,” the Argentina boss stated.
“So in the end, we changed the player who was originally going to be substituted,” he added. While preparing to send on Palacios and Juan Foyth, Scaloni had intended to remove a natural midfielder. But Messi, assessing the situation himself, approached the bench and suggested the change, prompting Scaloni to take off his captain instead.
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Ironically, just three minutes after Messi left the pitch, Argentina equalized against Colombia. Down to 10 men, they struck through Thiago Almada’s thunderous long-range effort in the 81st minute. Whether Messi was fatigued, nursing a knock, or simply conserving energy, it’s still rare to see him ask to be taken off in a high-stakes game.
Messi looks ahead to Club World Cup with no time to rest
June marked Messi’s return to the national team after missing March’s international window due to a last-minute injury. He came off the bench in the win over Chile, then started against Colombia, pulling the strings in midfield and creating several key chances.
Now, after two intense matches with Argentina, Messi will fly back to Florida to rejoin Inter Miami ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The MLS side makes its tournament debut in three days on June 14 against Al Ahly, and although head coach Javier Mascherano will have Messi available, he’ll arrive with considerable minutes already in his legs.
