Sofia Quijada
Argentina, the reigning World Cup holders, confirmed their final 26-man squad late Thursday night, selected by coach Lionel Scaloni for the 2026 World Cup.
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Lionel Messi, heading into his sixth and final World Cup, leads the selection alongside Nicolas Otamendi, the center-back who closed a six-season chapter at Benfica and is set to join River Plate. The two veterans anchor a squad that blends a proven core with a handful of younger additions.
Two players from the initial 55-man provisional list missed the cut: Gianluca Prestianni, the 20-year-old Benfica winger with one international cap, and Alan Varela, the 24-year-old FC Porto midfielder with two senior appearances. Had Prestianni been included, he would have faced a suspension covering the first two matches of the tournament, stemming from homophobic conduct directed at Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid during a Champions League fixture in February at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.
The continuity from the 2022 World Cup winning squad is clear. Scaloni has retained goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, defenders Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Otamendi, and Nicolas Tagliafico, midfielders Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Leandro Paredes, and forwards Lisandro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, and Messi.
Young talents Nico Paz, Valentin Barco, and Giuliano Simeone earn call-ups, while Mantantuono of Real Madrid is absent from the final list.
Argentina are placed in Group J, where they will face Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Argentina’s Full 26-Man Squad for the 2026 World Cup
Goalkeepers
- Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
- Geronimo Rulli (Marseille)
- Juan Musso (Atletico de Madrid)
Defenders
- Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate)
- Nahuel Molina (Atletico de Madrid)
- Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica)
- Cristian Romero (Tottenham)
- Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille)
- Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United)
- Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon)
- Facundo Medina (Marseille)
Midfielders
- Valentin Barco (Strasbourg)
- Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis)
- Nico Paz (Como)
- Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea)
- Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors)
- Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
- Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami)
- Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
- Nicolas Gonzalez (Atletico de Madrid)
- Giuliano Simeone (Atletico de Madrid)
- Thiago Almada (Atletico de Madrid)
Forwards
- Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
- Julian Alvarez (Atletico de Madrid)
- Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
- Flaco Lopez (Palmeiras)
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