The Argentina World Cup Squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 has officially been announced, with Lionel Messi once again leading the team as captain.
The defending world champions will enter the tournament with a strong mix of experienced stars and rising young talents.
More importantly, Messi is now set to play in a record-breaking sixth FIFA World Cup for Argentina national football team.
Let us take a look at Argentina’s full FIFA World Cup 2026 squad, their fixtures in the World Cup and some more important details ahead of the tournament.
Argentina World Cup Squad For FIFA World Cup 2026
Here is the full player list of the Argentina Team for the FIFA World Cup 2026:
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Emiliano Martínez, Geronimo Rulli, Juan Musso |
| Defenders | Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Leonardo Balerdi, Nicolas Otamendi, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico, Facundo Medina |
| Midfielders | Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul, Giovanni Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Enzo Fernandez, Valentin Barco |
| Forwards | Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez, Thiago Almada, Nicolas Paz, Nicolas Gonzalez, Giuliano Simeone, Jose Manuel Lopez |
Argentina’s World Cup 2026 Fixtures
Have a look at the key fixtures of the Argentina Team in the World Cup:
| Date | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 16 June | Argentina vs Algeria | Kansas City Stadium |
| 22 June | Argentina vs Austria | Dallas Stadium |
| 27 June | Jordan vs Argentina | Dallas Stadium |
Messi To Captain Argentina At FIFA World Cup 2026
Messi’s inclusion remained the biggest talking point before Argentina announced the squad.
The 38-year-old recently suffered muscle fatigue during Inter Miami CF’s MLS match against Philadelphia. That immediately created concern among Argentina fans ahead of the tournament.
However, Scaloni has now officially confirmed that Messi will represent Argentina once again at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The tournament could become the final World Cup appearance of Messi’s legendary career. At the same time, he now has the opportunity to help Argentina defend the title they won in Qatar four years ago.
Another major milestone also approaches for the Argentina captain. Messi currently sits on 198 international appearances and could reach 200 caps during upcoming friendlies against Honduras and Iceland before the World Cup begins.
Scaloni also attempted to reduce concerns surrounding Messi’s recent injury issue.
“We were watching Messi’s game when we realised he had asked to be substituted,” Scaloni said. “The initial reports are not too bad.”
Young Players Join Argentina World Cup Squad
Argentina’s squad also includes several younger players who could make their FIFA World Cup debut this summer.
Nicolas Paz earned a place after an impressive season in Italy, while Valentin Barco continues to rise as one of Argentina’s most exciting young talents.
Meanwhile, Palmeiras forward Jose Manuel Lopez also secured selection after strong performances in South America.
Scaloni explained that the squad gives Argentina more attacking flexibility and dynamism during matches.
The defending champions still retain much of the experienced core from their 2022 World Cup-winning squad.
Players like Emiliano Martínez, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez remain central figures for the team.
Giovani Lo Celso Joins Argentina Squad
One of the most emotional stories from Argentina’s squad announcement involves Giovanni Lo Celso.
The midfielder missed the 2022 FIFA World Cup after suffering a muscle injury shortly before the tournament started.
His absence created a major setback for Argentina at the time because he remained one of Scaloni’s most trusted midfielders.
Now, Lo Celso finally returns to the World Cup stage after missing Argentina’s title-winning campaign in Qatar.
His inclusion adds important experience and creativity to Argentina’s midfield options ahead of th
Major Names Miss Out On Argentina World Cup Squad
Argentina’s squad announcement also included several surprising absentees.
Paulo Dybala and Emiliano Buendía were among the major names left out of the final 26-man squad.
Teenage midfielder Franco Mastantuono also failed to secure selection despite being considered one of Argentina’s brightest young talents.
In total, nine players from Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad did not make the final roster this summer.
Meanwhile, defender Cristian Romero returned to the squad despite recently recovering from a knee injury.
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Final Thoughts
Argentina will now travel to the United States ahead of pre-World Cup friendlies against Honduras and Iceland.
The defending champions remain one of the favorites entering the tournament. However, global attention will remain focused on Messi as he prepares for another World Cup campaign.
For football fans, the possibility of watching Messi at one final FIFA World Cup makes Argentina one of the biggest stories of the summer.
