Which national team does Lionel Messi captain?

Lionel Messi captains Argentina's national football team. He has worn the captain's armband during the country's most successful modern era, including its 2021 Copa América, 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2024 Copa América triumphs.

Messi made his senior Argentina debut in 2005 and gradually became the team's central attacking figure. He assumed the captaincy in 2011, taking on a leadership role that extended beyond scoring and creating goals. His international career also includes an Olympic gold medal with Argentina's under-23 side at the 2008 Beijing Games.

The captaincy is sometimes confused with Messi's club leadership. He was also Barcelona captain from 2018 until his departure in 2021, but that was a separate role. After leaving Barcelona, he played for Paris Saint-Germain and then Inter Miami while continuing to captain Argentina.

Messi is Argentina's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player. His 2022 World Cup victory was especially significant: it gave Argentina its first men's World Cup title since 1986 and completed the major international achievement most often associated with his career.