Who will be Argentina’s captain after Lionel Messi’s international retirement?

When Lionel Messi explained his decision to retire from Argentina’s national team, not many cared to think about what it meant for the captain’s armband he’s been wearing for decades. However, as the dust settles on Messi‘s announcement, it’s time to have that conversation. According to a report, La Albiceleste have already found their next captain.

According to @AlbicelesteTalk on X, center back Cristian Romero is becoming Argentina‘s national team’s new main captain after Messi retired from international soccer despite having years left on his Inter Miami contract.

Although it has yet to be formally announced by Argentina or other sources, Romero becoming the newest captain would make sense. Atletico Madrid’s defender is only 28 years old, meaning he could hold the captaincy for years to come. Moreover, he’s arguably the most vocal leader on the pitch and already has experience under his belt as captain at Tottenham. If he could lead a locker room filled with players from across the world, he should have no trouble communicating with and commanding his fellow countrymen.

Still, there are also other candidates who could make sense. Even if Romero is named the main captain, others could fill in for him in games in which the center back is unavailable.

Post-Messi Era: Argentina’s captain candidates

Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez is a fan favorite and a leader both on and off the pitch. His heroics for Argentina speak for themselves, and he has all the ingredients to be an elite captain for La Albiceleste. However, it’s hard to look past the fact that he plays goalkeeper, and having your captain so far away from the action and the referee isn’t exactly ideal. Especially with a powerhouse like Argentina, whose players are vocal and in the referee’s ear every game, whether it’s the World Cup final or an international friendly.

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Rodrigo De Paul is the other obvious choice to become Argentina’s captain. He is as loquacious as they come and has spent a long time alongside Messi, perhaps perfecting his leadership skills. However, with De Paul’s performance during the 2026 World Cup facing backlash and his starting role being called into question, it may not be wise to name as captain someone who may often start games on the bench.

Dark horses

Although Lautaro Martinez captains his club, Inter, and Julian Alvarez is arguably the best player on the team, neither appears to be what Argentina are looking for in their next captain. Moreover, because the two often split starts, their captaincy bids may be obsolete.

Enzo Fernandez may not be getting the recognition he deserves in the race for the armband. He has all the ingredients of an Argentine leader, playing with his heart on his sleeve and boiling blood, and he already has experience under his belt, having occasionally served as captain at Chelsea. Plus, he’s only 25, so he has a lot more to give for his country.

Lisandro Martinez could very well be a candidate. However, it’s more likely Argentina would split the captaincy between their two starting center backs if that were the case. The Romero-Martinez duo will be crucial to La Albiceleste’s success in the post-Messi days, and there may be no better motivation than having them both serve as captains, 1A and 1B.

Romero could still be best option

Romero might still be the most logical answer to the captain question. He was Argentina’s best player not named Lionel Andres Messi throughout the 2026 World Cup and is entering his prime both at the club and international levels.

However, because Romero isn’t unfamiliar with yellow and red cards, Argentina must have a backup plan and an alternative captain lined up as well. And as we’ve seen, there is no shortage of candidates.