Lionel Messi is back in training with Argentina’s national team, gearing up for what will be his sixth FIFA World Cup appearance in 2026.
At 38 years old, Messi isn’t just preparing for another tournament. He’s activating a chain of financial speculation that stretches from Buenos Aires to blockchain networks, touching fan tokens, platform partnerships, and the wallets of retail investors who’ve learned, sometimes the hard way, that betting on sentiment is a volatile game.
The fan token effect
During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, $ARG dropped approximately 20% after Argentina’s shocking group-stage loss to Saudi Arabia.
National team fan tokens linked to Argentina have already gained value as 2026 kicked off, with increases reported in January. Fan tokens tend to appreciate in the lead-up to major tournaments as excitement builds, then swing wildly based on actual match results.
