Lionel Scaloni has named his final 26-man Argentina squad for the 2026 summer World Cup, and Lionel Messi will be on the teamsheet once again.
The South American giants will look to defend the crown they won back in December 2022 in Qatar as they defeated France on penalties, following a 3-3 draw in one of the best games in football history, as legendary forward Messi finally got his hands on the only trophy that eluded him, and cemented himself as the greatest of all time.
But now the three-time winners will look to go one further and retain their trophy, with the manager naming a strong squad that is set to travel to the United States, Canada, and Mexico for this summer's tournament.
The holders will take on Algeria (June 16), Austria (June 22), and Jordan (June 27) in the group stages of the competition, while they will also face off against Honduras and Iceland in pre-tournament friendlies in preparation.
Scaloni's side are among the favorites to go all the way this summer, and it's easy to see why when you look at their confirmed squad.
Goalkeepers
emiliano martinez
As expected, the number one choice for Scaloni between the sticks will continue to be Aston Villa star Emiliano Martinez, fresh off winning the Europa League and securing Champions League football for next season with the Villans.
Marseille's Geronimo Rulli is Argentina's back-up 'keeper for the tournament, while Atletico Madrid's Juan Musso is also in the squad, but 'Dibu' will continue to be the South American nation's first-choice.
Argentina's 2026 World Cup Squad - Goalkeepers
Player
Emiliano Martinez
Geronimo Rulli
Juan Musso
Defenders
Tottenham Hotspur Cristian Romero warms up
The experience in the Argentina squad is noticeable, with Nicolas Otamendi once again named as part of the squad defending their World Cup crown.
Tottenham captain Cristian Romero is named in the squad, despite not featuring since April due to a knee injury he picked up in the defeat to Sunderland. Man Utd star Lisandro Martinez is also included, while Gonzalo Montiel, Nicolas Tagliafico, Facundo Medina and Nahuel Molina also make the cut.
There's no space for Juan Foyth in the squad, however, despite his involvement back in 2022, following a strong campaign for Villarreal where they qualified for the Champions League. Bournemouth's Marco Senesi also misses out.
Argentina's 2026 World Cup Squad - Defenders
Player
Nicolas Otamendi
Nicolas Tagliafico
Nahuel Molina
Cristian Romero
Gonzalo Montiel
Lisandro Martinez
Leonardo Balerdi
Facundo Medina
Midfielders
Alexis Mac Allister
Liverpool star Alexis Mac Allister and Chelsea maestro Enzo Fernandez have both been included in the Argentina squad for the World Cup, and they will undoubtedly lead the midfield for the team once again.
Leandro Paredes, now playing in his home country with Boca Juniors, is also in the squad. Rodrigo De Paul, Giovani Lo Celso and Exequiel Palacios make up the rest of the experienced midfield options for Scaloni.
Just ahead of them in more advanced areas, the holders have opted for more youth. Nico Paz, fresh off the back of a sensational campaign with Como in Serie A, has been selected for his first tournament (albeit listed as a forward), while Chelsea-bound talent Valentin Barco has been named in the squad for his first World Cup after a fine season with Strasbourg.
Argentina 2026 World Cup Squad - Midfielders
Player
Rodrigo De Paul
Leandro Paredes
Giovani Lo Celso
Alexis Mac Allister
Enzo Fernandez
Exequiel Palacios
Valentin Barco
Forwards
Lionel Messi
As usual, Argentina's first name on the team sheet is captain and legend Lionel Messi, who will lead the attack in what is almost certainly his sixth and final World Cup.
He'll be joined by Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez once again, who has enjoyed an incredible rise since the 2022 tournament, while Inter Milan frontman Lautaro Martinez is also in the squad, having led the team to yet another Serie A Scudetto title. Giuliano Simeone will also be part of the squad as a wide option, as is Atletico's Thiago Almada.
Real Madrid sensation Franco Mastantuono will not be travelling to the USA, Canada, and Mexico for his first World Cup tournament, while there is no space for Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho, despite the fact he was named in the preliminary squad. Aston Villa's Emiliano Buendia, capped just twice by his country, also misses out.
Argentina 2026 World Cup Squad - Forwards
Player
Lionel Messi
Lautaro Martinez
Julian Alvarez
Nicolas Gonzalez
Thiago Almada
Giuliano Simeone
Nico Paz
Jose Manuel Lopez
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