Throughout his international career, Lionel Messi’s success has often been shaped by the quality of his partnerships with fellow Argentina attackers, relationships that have evolved considerably from his early international years to his current World Cup run.
Ángel Di María
Di María’s long international career alongside Messi included the decisive goal in the 2021 Copa América final and a crucial strike in the 2022 World Cup final, making him one of Messi’s most reliable big-match partners across nearly two decades of shared international duty.
Sergio Agüero
While primarily a club rival at times, Agüero’s partnership with Messi for Argentina, particularly during the early-to-mid 2010s, produced significant chemistry, including their combined efforts during Argentina’s run to the 2014 World Cup final.
Julián Álvarez
Messi’s current partnership with Álvarez has become central to Argentina’s title defense, culminating in Álvarez’s decisive extra-time goal against Switzerland in the 2026 quarterfinals. Their understanding, built during Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph, has continued to develop through this tournament’s knockout rounds.
Lautaro Martínez
Martínez’s header in the closing minutes of the semifinal win over England, created by a Messi assist, extended a partnership that has produced crucial goals throughout Argentina’s recent tournament successes, including the 2022 World Cup and both Copa América titles.
A Career of Evolving Chemistry
What unites these partnerships is Messi’s consistent ability to elevate the players around him, whether through direct assists or simply by drawing defensive attention that creates space for others. As Argentina prepares for the World Cup final against Spain, his current partnership with Álvarez and Martínez may prove to be the most important of his entire international career.