Enzo Fernandez is positioning himself as a potential successor to Lionel Messi in the Argentina national team. Though he aspires not to simply take Messi’s iconic No. 10 jersey, he is eager to accept the captaincy when Messi steps down.

Messi, currently at the pinnacle of his career, has yet to confirm his participation in next summer’s World Cup as he approaches what many anticipate will be his final tournament. To date, he has made 196 appearances and netted 115 goals for Argentina, leading them to victories in Copa America and World Cup 2022.

Fernandez, aged 24, has already captained his Chelsea side on various occasions and feels prepared to carry the Argentine armband, stating, “On a personal level, of course, I dream of captaining Argentina, but that decision doesn’t come down to me. It’s up to the coaching staff.” (Translation: “Es una decisión que no depende de mí. Depende del cuerpo técnico.”)

With Argentina set to defend their title, Fernandez insists the team’s mentality is one of striving for victory once more, as the squad is acutely aware of the significance of this moment in Messi’s legendary career. He adds, “Winning the World Cup is in the past now, and we are focused on what lies ahead. We know it could be Messi’s last World Cup, so we’ll aim to defend our crown from Qatar as a team.” (Translation: “Sabemos que podría ser el último Mundial de Messi, así que vamos a tratar de defender nuestro título como equipo.”)