Argentina have become the latest nation to announce their squad for the 2026 World Cup as they look to win back-to-back tournaments.
Lionel Scaloni brings real pedigree to the Argentinian dugout after leading the nation to the 2022 title and will hope to see his nation become the first to win consecutive tournaments since Brazil won in 1958 and 1962.
The Argentina squad is full of talent and there are plenty of players that will be household names, none more so than Lionel Messi. Other players that catch the eye are Premier League midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez as well as Atletico Madrid attacker Julian Alvarez.
There are no hugely surprising omissions, although some may have expected talented youngsters like Alejandro Garnacho, Franco Mastantuono and Gianluca Prestianni to feature, but all three have dropped out from the preliminary squad.
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Argentina World Cup 2026 squad
| Squad number | Player | Position | Domestic club | International caps | International goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juan Musso | GK | Atletico Madrid (Spain) | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | Geronimo Rulli | GK | Marseille (France) | 7 | 0 |
| 23 | Emiliano Martinez | GK | Aston Villa (England) | 59 | 0 |
| 2 | Leonardo Balerdi | DF | Marseille (France) | 11 | 0 |
| 3 | Nicolas Tagliafico | DF | Lyon (France) | 75 | 1 |
| 4 | Gonzalo Montiel | DF | River Plate (Argentina) | 38 | 2 |
| 6 | Lisandro Martinez | DF | Manchester United (England) | 26 | 1 |
| 13 | Cristian Romero | DF | Tottenham Hotspur (England) | 49 | 3 |
| 19 | Nicolas Otamendi | DF | Benfica (Portugal) | 130 | 8 |
| 25 | Facundo Medina | DF | Marseille (France) | 7 | 0 |
| 26 | Nahuel Molina | DF | Atletico Madrid (Spain) | 58 | 1 |
| 5 | Leandro Paredes | MF | Boca Juniors (Argentina) | 77 | 5 |
| 7 | Rodrigo de Paul | MF | Inter Miami (United States) | 85 | 2 |
| 8 | Valentin Barco | MF | Strasbourg (France) | 2 | 1 |
| 11 | Giovani Lo Celso | MF | Real Betis (Spain) | 65 | 4 |
| 14 | Exequiel Palacios | MF | Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) | 38 | 0 |
| 20 | Alexis Mac Allister | MF | Liverpool (England) | 44 | 6 |
| 24 | Enzo Fernandez | MF | Chelsea (England) | 40 | 6 |
| 9 | Julian Alvarez | FW | Atletico Madrid (Spain) | 51 | 14 |
| 10 | Lionel Messi | FW | Inter Miami (United States) | 198 | 116 |
| 15 | Nicolas Gonzalez | FW | Atletico Madrid (Spain) | 50 | 6 |
| 16 | Thiago Almada | FW | Atletico Madrid (Spain) | 14 | 4 |
| 17 | Giuliano Simeone | FW | Atletico Madrid (Spain) | 11 | 1 |
| 18 | Nico Paz | FW | Como (Italy) | 8 | 1 |
| 21 | Jose Manuel Lopez | FW | Palmeiras (Brazil) | 3 | 0 |
| 22 | Lautaro Martinez | FW | Internazionale (Italy) | 75 | 36 |
Argentina have one of the most balanced squads in the tournament and it’s testament to the strength in depth they possess that they have had to leave some highly-rated youngsters out of the squad.
While Lionel Messi will obviously be the spiritual leader for this team, there’s plenty of experience throughout with no fewer than 11 players having already racked up over 50 caps and Cristian Romero likely to join that group if he features in one of the pre-tournament friendly fixtures.
That’s not to say the squad isn’t sprinkled with some youthful exuberance too – Guiliano Simeone, Nico Paz and Valentin Barco are among those heading to the World Cup for the first time.
- Read more: Argentina World Cup 2026 odds
Three players to look out for this summer
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
The stage is set for the grandest exit from the international stage for Lionel Messi. At 38, this is surely the final ever World Cup for the ‘Little Flea’, who will become the first player to ever appear in six different editions of the tournament should he play in Argentina’s opener against Algeria and he would love nothing more than to finish on the biggest high of all by retaining the World Cup for his country.
While the explosiveness and relentless running Messi managed when leading Albiceleste to glory in Qatar may not be on show, he remains capable of magical moments and is the emotional leader of this team and indeed his nation. The likes of Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez may have to do most of Messi’s pressing work for him these days, but when he’s on the ball – anything can happen.
Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea)
A name that will need no introduction for Premier League fans, Enzo Fernandez’s career really lifted off into another dimension at the last World Cup. Argentina’s midfield structure is built around the balance and rhythm offered by the 25 year old midfielder and his incredible performances in Qatar led to him being sold to Chelsea for what was then a British record transfer fee of £106m.
Now, Fernandez is being linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge for an even larger fee and he’ll be keen to showcase his considerable ability this summer. His incredible passing range and ability to set the tempo for this Argentina side can’t be understated. Where he was the break-out star in 2022, he’s now one of the leading men in a star-studded team hoping to repeat their success.
Nico Paz (Como)
There are several young Argentinian stars hoping to become the face of Argentina in the post-Messi era. However, by earning his spot in the squad over the likes of Franco Mastantuono and Alejandro Garnacho, Como attacking midfielder Nico Paz has taken a huge step towards becoming one of the key men for Lionel Scaloni and it’s not difficult to see why he’s been selected.
The 21 year old has been a huge component of Como’s success in Serie A this season, scoring 12 goals and earning six assists in 35 appearances. He is an exciting player to watch, capable of gliding past defenders with apparent ease and possessing an eye for a killer pass. Getting minutes might not be easy in such a packed squad but he could provide a pivotal burst of energy and unpredictability from the bench.
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Argentina World Cup 2026 fixtures
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