Lo Celso celebrates World Cup debut as Argentina keeps perfect start
Lo Celso’s first World Cup match turned into a personal reset, as Argentina kept its perfect points total and Messi’s influence still set the tone.
Giovani Lo Celso played his first World Cup match and said the moment was far more than he had imagined, a release after missing Qatar 2022 with a right-leg muscle injury that required surgery. Argentina’s perfect start gave his debut even greater weight.
Lo Celso thanked the coaching staff and his family for carrying him through the wait, then pointed to the calm inside the squad and Lionel Messi’s influence as reasons the team has kept its edge. He said the group’s mood has been strong and that Messi’s motivation still lifts everyone around him, a familiar force in a team built to keep winning deep into the tournament.
The emotion around Lo Celso’s debut came from the long gap between World Cups. Argentina had opened Qatar 2022 with a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia on November 21, 2022, despite arriving with a 36-match unbeaten run. That stumble made the eventual title run even more striking: Argentina played seven matches in Qatar, recovered from the opening defeat and finished as world champion, with Messi leading the side and scoring seven goals.
Lo Celso’s path back to the squad was not straightforward. Before the final list, he said he had not yet spoken with the coaching staff, while Manuel Pellegrini publicly said he had no doubts the Real Betis midfielder would be in Argentina’s World Cup plans. Lionel Scaloni ultimately included Lo Celso among his midfield options for 2026, rewarding a player who has spent years waiting for this stage.
That patience also reflects why Lo Celso matters in Argentina’s knockout-round equation. He has long been viewed as one of Messi’s most natural partners, and his connection with the captain was evident again when he provided two assists for Messi in a rout of Curazao. With Messi still the center of gravity and Argentina already moving through the tournament with a perfect record, Lo Celso adds another experienced midfield link at a time when Scaloni needs depth, control and reliable combinations to protect the title run.
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