Who will captain Argentina after Messi? Scaloni reveals the name - Prothom Alo English
Football - International Friendly - Argentina Training - Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, Elche, Spain - November 13, 2025 Argentina's Lionel Messi with coach Lionel Scaloni during trainingReuters file photoThe rumours had been circulating for several days. Now there has been an official announcement. Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Cristian Romero will wear the captain’s armband after Lionel Messi brings his international career to an end.
Argentina are now awaiting an emotional farewell for Messi, who will bring the international chapter of his career to a close with the match against Benin on 6 October. It is against this backdrop that Scaloni has announced a change in the team’s leadership.
Argentina will play two more matches in this FIFA window before facing Benin — against Bolivia on 1 October and Burkina Faso on 4 October. Ahead of those friendlies, the World Cup-winning coach confirmed that Romero, who moved from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid this season, will lead La Albiceleste.
Cristian RomeroAFPScaloni also clarified the order of leadership in the dressing room. Speaking to TyC Sports, he said, “The captain is going to be Cuti (Romero). He was already the third captain after Leo and Ota (Otamendi). There is Emiliano (Martinez), who can also wear the armband. Rodrigo (De Paul), who will not be in these two games, can also wear it. Lautaro (Martinez) can wear it.”
Although he has now officially been given the responsibility, captaincy is not new to Romero. He has already led Argentina three times in the absence of the team’s regular captains. He first wore the captain’s armband in 2025 in Argentina’s important 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Chile in the South American qualifiers.
He was then handed the captaincy again in a friendly against Venezuela in October of the same year. Romero also led the team to a 2-1 victory over Mauritania ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Messi had been Argentina’s captain for 15 years, since 2011. Before him, Javier Mascherano wore the captain’s armband from 2006 to 2011. The other two Argentina captains this century were Juan Pablo Sorin and Juan Veron. Romero is set to become Argentina’s fifth captain of the 21st century.
