Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has named his picks for the four greatest footballers currently playing while leaving out Lionel Messi for being 'too unique.' La Albiceleste's head coach is one of the most successful in international football right now, having won two Copa Americas and, most notably, the 2022 World Cup, allowing Messi to complete his dream after suffering heartbreak in 2014.
Scaloni has plenty of talented players at his disposal aside from the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, and he even named two of his Argentinian stars when he selected his top four in the game right now, with one even being considered a frontrunner for the 2025 Golden Ball.
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Scaloni Names Yamal and Lautaro Martinez in Top Four Players
Two Madrid-based stars were also included
Speaking on the Siro Lopez YouTube channel, Scaloni opted to leave Messi out of his list of the best players in the world currently, before naming Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvares as his picks. As translated by GOAL, the 47-year-old stated:
"I’ll set Messi aside because he’s unique. So I’ll say Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and Julian Alvarez or Lautaro Martinez as well."
Mbappe and Yamal are two of the biggest stars in all of the sport and have been going head-to-head since the French superstar's move to Real Madrid in 2024. Though, so far, it is the teenager Yamal who has come out on top, with Mbappe failing to win a major trophy during his first season in the Spanish capital, while his youthful counterpart was pivotal in Barcelona's league and cup double.
As for Martinez and Alvarez, both are key players for Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid respectively. They were also both members of the 2022 World Cup squad, with Martinez starting the tournament next to Lionel Messi before Alvarez took his place.
The Inter Milan captain was in top form during the 2024 Copa America, and while he hasn't scored as many goals this season for the Nerazzurri, his influence on the team has seen them reach a second Champions League final in three years.
Scaloni Named All-Time XI
Messi was the only Argentine to make the team
Scaloni also named his all-time football XI, with Messi being the only Argentine and several of the very best to play the game earning a spot. Italian legends Gianluigi Buffon, Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta made up the majority of the backline and are joined by Brazilian icon Cafu and the surprising inclusion of Noureddine Naybet.
The midfield consisted of Mauro Silva as the anchorman behind the more creative duo of Xavi and Iniesta – two thirds of one of the best midfields in football history. The front three was also filled with star power as Messi was joined by the two Ronaldo's – Cristiano and Nazario.
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All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt - accurate as of 18/05/2025.