Online Desk — The reigning world champions, Argentina, have officially announced their final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Head coach Lionel Scaloni has blended the familiar, battle-tested faces of their Qatar World Cup triumph with a crop of exciting young talents.
Legendary captain Lionel Messi will lead La Albiceleste as they look to defend their global crown across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
With an elite spine featuring the likes of Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez, Rodrigo De Paul, Cristian Romero, Lautaro Martínez, and Julián Álvarez alongside Messi, Argentina heads into the 2026 tournament firmly established as one of the heavy favorites.
However, Scaloni’s final selection features a few glaring omissions. The most shocking exclusion is young prodigy Franco Mastantuono, who failed to secure a spot in a fiercely competitive attacking department ahead of the veterans. Additionally, Marcos Acuña, a key member of the 2022 World Cup-winning squad, has also been left out.
Despite these notable absences, Scaloni has preserved the core structure of his world champions. He has masterfully assembled a balanced roster by combining proven stars like Enzo Fernández and Alexis Mac Allister with emerging forces such as Julián Álvarez and Giuliano Simeone.
Argentina’s Final 26-Man Squad:
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Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa), Gerónimo Rulli (Olympique de Marseille), Juan Musso (Atlético Madrid).
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Defenders: Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique de Marseille), Nicolás Tagliafico (Olympique Lyonnais), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Facundo Medina (Olympique de Marseille), Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid).
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Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Valentín Barco (Racing Strasbourg), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea).
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Forwards: Julián Álvarez (Atlético Madrid), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nico González (Atlético Madrid), Thiago Almada (Atlético Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético Madrid), Nico Paz (Como), Juan Manuel López (Palmeiras), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan).