Messi or...? These are the doubts of coach Scaloni for Argentina's game vs Peru

The Argentine National Team are the only leaders of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. So far they have won all three games they played (1-0 vs Ecuador, 3-0 vs Bolivia and 1-0 vs Paraguay), which allowed them to be two points ahead of Brazil, who have 7.

One of the greatest merits of the world champions is that they did not depend on Lionel Messi to achieve it. The forward suffered a muscle injury in the last minutes of the match against Ecuador in Buenos Aires and therefore could not play five days later in La Paz against Bolivia. On his return to Inter Miami he felt pain again and that is why he was out of the field for a long time. In this October international break he started as a substitute in the match against Paraguay and came on during the second half, when his team was already leading 1-0.

Now Lionel Scaloni must decide what to do with Leo. He is getting better and better and, according to reports, he is fit to play at least 60 minutes. That is why the coach could include him in the starting lineup to face Peru at the Estadio Nacional in Lima, this Tuesday night.

If so, the question is in replacement of whom. The most likely alternative is that one of the forwards, Julian Alvarez or Lautaro Martinez, will leave. But wide midfielder Nicolas Gonzalez has had physical problems in the last few days and could also be out. In that case, perhaps Scaloni will opt to use Alvarez in that position and Messi will play from the start alongside Martinez in attack.

Not the only doubt

In addition to the situation of Lionel Messi and Nicolás Gonzaléz, Lionel Scaloni has to make another decision: whether the right-back will be Nahuel Molina or Gonzalo Montiel. The latter could earn a place in the starting line-up, as the Atlético Madrid defender has physical discomfort.