Gavi Backs Argentina, Messi for 2026 World Cup Glory

Gavi, a 21-year-old midfielder for FC Barcelona, expressed his support for the Argentina national team, led by Lionel Messi, as the frontrunner to win the 2026 World Cup. He made these comments following Barcelona's 2-0 victory over Real Madrid at Camp Nou, which secured their second consecutive Spanish title.

Gavi, who is unable to participate in Spain's Euro 2024 campaign due to injury, stated that despite Spain entering the tournament as European champions, he does not consider them the outright favorites to lift the trophy. Instead, he believes that Argentina, the reigning world champions, is the strongest contender, asserting that Messi remains the best player on the field.

Gavi's remarks come as Messi recently became the fastest player to reach 100 goal contributions in Major League Soccer, achieving this milestone in just 64 regular-season matches.