Only a few months separate us from the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and Lionel Messi’s Argentina national team arrives at the tournament as the reigning world champion after its feat in Qatar 2022.
However, it also arrives without one of its stars, Ángel Di María, who retired from the team in 2024. Despite this, a former world champion said that the chances of him returning for this event are high.
Is Di María returning to Argentina?
The biggest soccer event, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, will have one notable absence: ‘El Fideo‘ will not be wearing the colors of the Albiceleste. Ángel retired at the top after winning the 2024 Copa América, saying he felt he had “completed a cycle” with the Argentine national team and that it was time to make way for new and young talent.
However, at 38, he continues to play for Rosario Central, his hometown team, where he still performs at an elite level. In fact, he recently scored a goal for the team against Barraca Central (2-0) and is one of only four players in the club’s history to score after turning 38.
This is no small feat, especially for former world champion Ubaldo Matildo Fillol, the legendary goalkeeper of the Argentine national team who was part of the team that brought the World Cup to his country for the first time in 1978.
On social media, he shared a video in which he spoke about and analyzed the possibilities of Di María returning to Lionel Scaloni’s team:
“I heard that the coaching staff and some players are encouraging him to return to the national team. From what I see today, he has to be there to play, without a doubt,” said Fillol.
Highlighting his current good form, ‘Pato’ continued to express his confidence that Ángel will play for Argentina again: “…I think he’ll be there, it’s a feeling I have. I think they’re going to convince him to play in the next World Cup.”
Soccer fans were quick to share their opinions in the comments section. While some argued that the way he ended his career with the Albiceleste was the best possible outcome, others agreed wholeheartedly with him:
“Very true, Pato. Let’s hope so,” commented one of them. “If we want to be World Champions again, he has to go, no matter what,” said another. “We have to convince him [Di María] to go to the World Cup. I don’t know if he’ll be a starter, but he has to be there,” replied a third fan.
In addition, ‘El Pato’ compared ‘El Fideo’s’ situation with that of his teammate of the same age, Lionel Messi, at Inter Miami in the MLS: “I think Di María is doing well. Compared to Leo Messi, Leo is in a league that is not very competitive, and Argentine soccer is extremely competitive. Besides, they don’t give you anything for free, they don’t give you space, they are all divided, and he is doing very well. He has speed, spark, and he scores goals,” he said.
Meanwhile, Argentina will seek to defend the cup they won after defeating France in a dramatic penalty shootout on December 18, 2022, in Qatar. They will be in Group J, alongside Austria, Algeria, and Jordan, and will make their debut against Algeria on Tuesday, June 16. They will then face Austria on Monday, June 22, and Jordan on Friday, June 26.
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