With Lionel Messi scoring his seventh goal at the 2026 World Cup and setting the all-time World Cup assists record, Argentina have cleared the first hurdle, but several more lie ahead. En route to fulfilling their dream of back-to-back FIFA World Cup championships, La Albiceleste will play Egypt next, and they know where and when.
Moreover, thanks to the locked bracket system, Argentina have a clear view of what their path to the 2026 World Cup final could look like. Needless to say, Argentina will come across much tougher opponents than Cape Verde, whose FIFA ranking paints a clear picture of just how much of an underdog they were. Watching Argentina struggle as much as they did against the Blue Sharks might be a
Still, La Albiceleste can’t take any rival for granted. Up next, Argentina will face Egypt, who have already secured their best finish ever at a FIFA World Cup thanks to their win over Australia. From then onwards, Messi and Argentina’s journey is subject to many more changes and possibilities.
For the time being, La Albiceleste must be content to have fought to live another day and must lick their wounds before gearing up for the next battle. Needless to say, it won’t be for the faint of heart.
Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina.
Argentina’s path to 2026 World Cup final
Although Messi and his teammates will be the first to admit they are only focused on the next game in the schedule, they can’t resist but looking ahead. If Argentina defeat Egypt and advance to the quarterfinals, they will take on either Switzerland, Colombia, or Ghana. Once the game between Ghana and Colombia is decided, the full Round of 16 bracket will have all eight games set.
In the semifinals, Argentina could be in for a historic clash against arguably their two biggest rivals—though for very different reasons—as Brazil or England could potentially cross paths with La Albiceleste. However, Mexico or Norway could also reach the semifinals, setting up yet another World Cup showdown between Messi’s Argentina and Mexico, or the first-ever official match between Messi and Erling Haaland.
Regardless of who they face in a potential semifinal, it would surely be a game for the ages. As for the grand final, many expect Argentina and France to meet in a rematch of the greatest World Cup final in history (2022). However, the possibilities are seemingly endless—or, more accurately, just eight: France, Paraguay, Morocco, Canada, Portugal, Spain, the United States, or Belgium.
| Round | Possible opponents |
| Round of 16 | Egypt |
| Quarterfinals | Switzerland, Colombia, Ghana |
| Semifinals | Brazil, Norway, England, Mexico |
| Final | France, Paraguay, Morocco, Canada, Portugal, Spain, the United States, Belgium |
Argentina’s dream path to World Cup final
If only storylines and drama are considered, Messi’s national team could be in for an incredible path that goes down in the history books. In the quarterfinals, a clash with Colombia would be the most exciting matchup. In the semifinals, Brazil or England would be the most compelling matchups in terms of the narrative arc, though which one is better comes down to individual preference.
Something similar applies to the final. Some may argue a rematch with France is the best option, while others could make the case that a game against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal would be better, or even a matchup with the UEFA Euro champions, Spain, which would see Messi and Lamine Yamal share a pitch for the first time.
