Cristian Romero has emerged as the leading candidate to take over the Argentina captaincy following Lionel Messi's imminent retirement. The number 10's final match will be on October 6 against Benin at the Monumental, creating a leadership void the 28-year-old defender is primed to fill.

Manager Lionel Scaloni, in charge since 2018, has already tested Romero with the armband on three occasions. He captained the side in 1-0 wins over Chile and Venezuela in 2025, and also led the team in a friendly against Mauritania in Buenos Aires before the last World Cup. This internal transition comes as the national team, top of their World Cup qualifying group with a perfect 9 points from 3 games, prepares to host Bolivia on October 1st. The last meeting between the sides ended in a 6-0 win for Argentina.

Experience and backing

'Cuti' Romero's candidacy is well-founded. The centre-back gained valuable experience as a club captain, wearing the armband at Tottenham Hotspur during the 2025-26 season before his move to Atlético Madrid. His current manager at the Colchoneros, Diego Simeone, has described him with four words: "liderazgo, fortaleza, calidad y jerarquía" (leadership, strength, quality, and hierarchy). This public endorsement shows the qualities the Albiceleste seek in their new on-field leader.

Within the dressing room, Romero maintains strong relationships with several team pillars like Lisandro Martínez, Nahuel Molina, and Enzo Fernández. His leadership style, which treats every training session with match-day seriousness, is already known to the group. At 28, he is at the ideal age to project a stable captaincy through to the 2028 Copa América and the 2030 World Cup, when he will be 30 and 32 respectively.

Other names in the frame

While Romero is the frontrunner, other key figures remain in the picture. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is a respected voice in the squad, though not actively seeking the role. Meanwhile, Lautaro Martínez, captain of Inter Milan since 2023, is another prominent player with experience in the position. The final decision rests with Scaloni, who used Messi as captain in 72 of the 102 matches he has managed.

Messi's departure adds to other generational shifts, with players like Alejandro Gómez, Paulo Dybala, and Ángel Di María no longer in the squad, and questions over the future of Leandro Paredes. Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso are also not in the current setup. In this context, the captain's role, which includes representing the team to referees in the 'captains' zone' and managing internal logistics, becomes even more critical. Fans can follow the team's evolution and check the full squad on our site. The next test for this new leadership will be the qualifier against Bolivia, a match for which the team arrives with four wins in their last five games.

The original report is at La Nacion AR Deportes