It is very evident that Lionel Messi will not play for the Argentina national team after the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the La Albiceleste need to find a new leader after the former Barcelona star's time at the national team comes to an end.
Paredes to captain Argentina after Lionel Messi?
Former Argentina forward, Javier Saviola has backed star midfielder Leandro Paredes as the strong candidate to pick up the role of Argentina captain after Lionel Messi.
In an interaction with MARCA, Javier Saviola took Paredes' name as the strong contender for the leadership role, noting his strong character and ability to express himself on the pitch.
Saviola also picked the names of Emiliano Martinez, Tagliafico and Julian Alvvarez as other candidates in the race.
"Paredes has a lot of personality. He is a player who has been showing it over the last few years and can become a great captain. Julian, Tagliafico, Dibu, I think that's where the shots are going."
Next challenge for Argentina
Argentina secured a 2-1 win over Mauritania in a friendly game on Friday, March 27. The La Albiceleste will lock horns with Zambia in their next international friendly on Tuesday, March 31. Lionel Messi and co. will look to improve and work on the insights given by their star goalkeeper.