29/03/2025
Argentina ๐ฆ๐ท have played 8 games in the 2026 World Cup qualifying series. They won 5, lost 2 and drew 1.
They played 4 of these games without Leo Messi, won 3 and lost 1. They scored 8 goals in those 4 matches with 4 coming against their biggest rival, Brazil ๐ง๐ท. In the 4 matches Messi played, they scored 9 goals with 6 coming against Bolivia ๐ง๐ด, a match Messi scored an Hatrick and created 2 assists.
Argentina beating Brazil 4:1 without him, shows, they don't need him or miss him anymore. Even in the last Copa they won, he only contributed 2 goals out of the the 8 goals scored by Argentina ๐ฆ๐ท.
Since he made his debut, apart from not scoring against Brazil in competitive matches, Argentina have never won against Brazil by 3 goals margin or scored 4 goals against Brazil, except in a friendly where Messi scored hatrick.
Meanwhile, Argentina with Messi have lost to Brazil with 3 goals margin on 4 different occasions.