Lionel Scaloni, head coach of the Argentina national football team, confirmed that their upcoming match against visiting Venezuela will be special and highly impactful, expressing hope that Lionel Messi, the team captain, will continue to dazzle in the game.

The Argentine team will face Venezuela tomorrow evening local time (Friday morning GMT) in the 17th round of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Argentina has officially secured its spot in the World Cup, having won the last edition in 2022 in Qatar, and currently leads the standings with 35 points, 10 points ahead of their closest rival Ecuador, before the final four rounds of qualifiers.

Meanwhile, Venezuela, aiming to reach the World Cup for the first time in its history, sits in seventh place with 18 points, 4 points behind Colombia in sixth place, the last direct qualifying spot.

Scaloni said in statements published on the official website of the Argentine Football Association on Wednesday, “Tomorrow’s match will be special and highly impactful. We are happy to have Messi here, and we hope he and the fans enjoy the match.”

The Argentine coach, who led his country to their third World Cup title, added, “We are in a position to give some new players a chance to train and play with us.”

He explained, “Some under-20 youth players trained with us this Monday because we wanted to see them. It is important they feel comfortable as part of this experience.”

Scaloni spoke about goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, saying, “He is doing well. He is a positive player who truly thinks about the national team.”

Martínez was unable to join Manchester United during the summer transfer window, which closed this Monday, and will continue his career with Aston Villa in England.

The Argentina coach noted, “It has been a tough qualifying round, although the numbers show we are at the top and feel comfortable.”

Scaloni emphasized, “If we see a player with potential, we are open to giving him a chance before the World Cup. We will not care about his age or position; if he can contribute, he will have his opportunity.”

He concluded, “Tomorrow’s opponent is very tough; they are close to qualifying for the World Cup, and this will be historic for them.”