BUENOS AIRES: Keeping football fans on the edge of their seats until the final moments of the deadline, Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni has officially announced his 26-man squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Superstar Lionel Messi is set to captain the side once again, marking a historic sixth World Cup appearance for the legendary forward. With this milestone, Messi—who already holds the record for the most World Cup appearances with 26 matches—will join Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the only players to feature in six editions of the tournament.
The Quest to Defend the Title
As the reigning champions, Argentina aims to defend the title they won in Qatar. Head coach Scaloni has maintained continuity by retaining 17 players from the 2022 World Cup-winning roster. However, there were notable omissions, including veteran defender Marcos Acuña, as the manager opts for fresh energy in the squad.
Argentina has been placed in Group J for the tournament, where they will face Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.
Messi Injury Update
Fans were briefly left anxious on Monday when Messi was substituted during an Inter Miami Major League Soccer (MLS) match. However, the club quickly downplayed any major injury fears, clarifying that the substitution was a precautionary measure due to muscle tightness. The captain is fully fit and ready to lead the Albiceleste.
The squad features a heavy English Premier League presence, including Aston Villa’s Golden Glove winner Emiliano Martinez, Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez, Tottenham’s Cristian Romero, Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, and Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez. Atletico Madrid also dominates the roster, contributing five players to the squad.
Argentina Official 2026 World Cup Squad & Clubs
Goalkeepers
- Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
- Geronimo Rulli (Olympique Marseille)
- Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid)
Defenders
- Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United)
- Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
- Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica)
- Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille)
- Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon)
- Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate)
- Facundo Medina (Olympique Marseille)
- Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders
- Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
- Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea)
- Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami)
- Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors)
- Valentin Barco (Racing Strasbourg)
- Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis)
- Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards
- Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
- Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
- Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid)
- Nico Gonzalez (Atletico Madrid)
- Thiago Almada (Atletico Madrid)
- Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid)
- Nico Paz (Como)
- Juan Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras)
