The Argentina World Cup 2026 squad is shaping up ahead of La Albiceleste looking to defend their crown.
Naturally, Lionel Scaloni will head to World Cup 2026 with one of the best squads at the tournament, as Argentina look to win a fourth edition of this competition and become the first team to defend the trophy since 1962.
The initial 55-man selection has now been whittled down to 26 – and it's safe to say they will be one of the favourites to lift the World Cup in North America this summer.
The headline news is that eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, ranked at no.1 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest players of all time, will compete in his sixth World Cup, after appearing in the last five.
Cristian Romero, meanwhile, is included – despite suffering a high-grade partial tear of his medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee last month – while 33-year-old Emiliano Martinez may be playing his final World Cup.
There are several Premier League players included in the 55-man selection: Marcos Senesi is rewarded for an excellent season, Alejandro Garnacho is given a chance, and 2022's Best Young Player, Enzo Fernandez, is one of the more senior players this time around.
Exciting young prospects are looking to firm up places, too, with Nico Paz the standout, alongside the likes of Matias Soule, Claudio Echeverri and Santiago Castro.
Squad
Argentina World Cup 2026 squad: The March selection
- GK: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa)
- GK: Juan Musso (Atlético Madrid)
- GK: Gerónimo Rulli (Marseille)
- DF: Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille)
- DF: Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United)
- DF: Facundo Medina (Marseille)
- DF: Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid)
- DF: Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate)
- DF: Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica)
- DF: Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
- DF: Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon)
- MF: Valentín Barco (Strasbourg)
- MF: Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami)
- MF: Enzo Fernández (Chelsea)
- MF: Giovani Lo Celso (Betis)
- MF: Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
- MF: Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
- MF: Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors)
- FW: Thiago Almada (Atlético Madrid)
- FW: Julián Alvarez (Atlético Madrid)
- FW: Nicolás González (Atlético Madrid)
- FW: José Manuel López (Palmeiras)
- FW: Lautaro Martínez (Internazionale)
- FW: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
- FW: Nico Paz (Como)
- FW: Giuliano Simeone (Atlético Madrid)
Fixtures
Fixtures
- June 16, 2026: Argentina vs Algeria , Arrowhead Stadium , Kansas City, United States
- June 22, 2026: Argentina vs Austria , AT&T Stadium , Arlington, United States
- June 28, 2026: Jordan vs Argentina , AT&T Stadium, Arlington, United States
Recent results
- March 31, 2026: Argentina 5-0 Zambia , La Bombonera, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- March 27, 2026: Argentina 2-1 Mauritania , Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- November 14, 2025: Angola 0-2 Argentina , Estádio 11 de Novembro, Luanda, Angola
- October 14, 2025: Puerto Rico 0-6 Argentina , Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, United States
- October 10, 2025: Argentina 1-0 Venezuela , Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, United States
- September 10, 2025: Ecuador 1-0 Argentina , Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha, Guayaquil, Ecuador
- September 4, 2025: Argentina 3-0 Venezuela , Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- June 11, 2025: Argentina 1-1 Colombia , Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- June 6, 2025: Chile 0-1 Argentina , Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Pradanos, Santiago, Chile
- March 26, 2025: Argentina 4-1 Brazil , Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- March 21, 2025: Uruguay 0-1 Argentina , Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay
Group J standings
Argentina are in Group J at World Cup 2026.
Manager
Who is Argentina's manager?
Lionel Scaloni has led Argentina in an incredibly successful period for the nation.
He has won three major trophies in a row, Copa America, World Cup and another Copa America, ending their droughts in both competitions.
His team selections have been aided by some outstanding performances at club level, and well, having Lionel Messi at his disposal.
Argentina's Star Player
Who is Argentina's star player?
Not much is left to be said about Lionel Messi. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner reached the summit of football when he lifted the 2022 World Cup, firmly cementing his status as one of the greats.
Messi ranked at no.1 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest players of all time, and has been a huge part of Argentina winning the Copa America back-to-back, with the World Cup sandwiched in between.
The Argentine icon had thought that victory in Qatar would be his last World Cup - but he is included again, and could earn his 200th cap for his country during the tournament if he hasn't already in their pre-tournament friendlies.
