Why Messi still changes the Argentina question
If you are checking Messi now, the useful answer is not a career recap. Argentina already have the trophy, the familiar Scaloni structure, and a group route that asks whether the holders can control matches without making every possession run through one player.
Messi still matters most when the game slows down. If Argentina need the final pass, a pause around the box, or a calmer way through a compact opponent, his role is different from Julian Alvarez's running or the midfield's ball circulation. The better next step is Argentina's full team route, not a standalone player search.