Roberto Carlos: Lionel Messi gives Argentina the edge over Brazil in 2026 World Cup race

Who: Brazil legend Roberto Carlos. What: He says Lionel Messi’s status as Argentina’s reference point gives them the advantage over Brazil in the 2026 World Cup race. When: Comments made on ESPN’s La Casa del Kun and reported on 21 June 2026, ahead of Argentina’s next group match. Why it matters: Roberto Carlos argues Messi’s leadership and Argentina’s continuity under their coach make the reigning champions better positioned than a Brazilian side still searching for a clear on-field leader.

Why it matters

Roberto Carlos frames the debate in simple terms: a national team with a long-standing coach and a definitive reference player — Messi, in Argentina’s case — carries structural advantages at a major tournament. That matters because international tournaments often come down to key moments and players who can impose their will: in Carlos’s view, Argentina currently has that figure while Brazil does not.

What Roberto Carlos actually said

Speaking alongside Sergio Agüero on La Casa del Kun, Roberto Carlos said he believes Argentina are ahead of Brazil in the 2026 World Cup race. He cited two main reasons: continuity in the coaching position and Lionel Messi’s role as a reference point for the entire team and the wider football world. Carlos explicitly contrasted the current Brazilian roster with past generations that had a clear superstar to build around.

Argentina’s situation and Messi’s form

The World Soccer Talk report notes Messi remains central to Argentina’s project. The piece highlights Messi’s recent form — including a hat-trick against Algeria in the tournament opener — and reminds readers that the forward has moved to MLS side Inter Miami. The article also mentions Messi is set to turn 39 in less than a week, underlining how the veteran’s performances are defying questions about his competitive drive.

Brazil’s search for a new reference player

Roberto Carlos described Brazil as lacking an elite superstar capable of dictating matches in the way Ronaldo, Pelé or Maradona did in their eras. The report details Brazil’s recent turbulence: an unsettled qualification path with managerial changes, Neymar’s severe ACL injury in late 2023, and subsequent attempts to find a new talisman — with players such as Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha mentioned as falling short of consistently filling that role.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) made a high-profile appointment to stabilise the team, securing Carlo Ancelotti as national coach, according to the source. Roberto Carlos contrasted Brazil’s situation with what he described as Argentina’s greater organisation and clarity of play.

Tournament context and fixtures

Argentina are preparing to face Austria in a World Cup group match scheduled to kick off on 22 June 2026 at 17:00 UTC, according to the supplied match data. The larger tournament is under way, and comments from figures such as Roberto Carlos add to the narrative around who enters the knockout stages as favourites.

• Roberto Carlos said Argentina are ahead of Brazil because of their coach’s continuity and Lionel Messi’s role as a reference point (World Soccer Talk).
• Messi, who recently moved to Inter Miami, scored a hat-trick against Algeria in the tournament opener (World Soccer Talk).
• Brazil have struggled to replace previous generation superstars and suffered disruptions including Neymar’s ACL injury in late 2023 (World Soccer Talk).
• The CBF appointed Carlo Ancelotti to stabilise Brazil’s national team, the report says (World Soccer Talk).
• Argentina’s next scheduled group match in supplied match data is versus Austria on 22 June 2026, kick-off 17:00 UTC.

What it means for both sides

Roberto Carlos’s assessment positions Argentina as the team with clearer internal leadership and tactical identity heading deeper into the tournament. For Brazil, the warning is that without a single figure capable of shifting games on their own, tactical coherence and squad balance will be even more important — and that the appointment of an experienced coach such as Carlo Ancelotti is part of the CBF’s response to that challenge.

Whether Messi’s influence and Argentina’s continuity prove decisive will be settled on the pitch over the coming weeks. For now, the narrative is set: Argentina are being viewed by some high-profile observers as the side to beat, while Brazil remain in the process of defining their new identity.