Argentina have officially named their 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Lionel Messi set to captain the defending champions in what will be his sixth appearance at football’s biggest tournament.
The 38-year-old Inter Miami star extends his national record by becoming the first Argentine player to feature in six World Cups.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni has retained the core of the squad that lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy in Qatar in 2022, with 17 members of that title-winning team included in the final squad.
Among the returning stars are Emiliano Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez.
Veteran winger Angel Di Maria was not considered for selection after announcing his retirement from international football following the 2024 Copa America tournament.
Midfielder Giovani Lo Celso returns to the World Cup squad after missing the 2022 tournament due to injury. He was previously part of Argentina’s squad at the 2018 World Cup in Russia but did not make an appearance.
Argentina have also included several young talents expected to lead the next generation of the national team, including Valentin Barco, Nicolas Paz and Giuliano Simeone.
Meanwhile, forwards Jose Manuel Lopez and Thiago Almada are set to make their World Cup debuts.
Reports indicate that left-back Marcos Acuna, a member of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad, missed selection due to fitness concerns.
Argentina will begin their Group J campaign against Algeria on June 16 before facing Jordan and Austria in their remaining group-stage matches.
As defending champions, Argentina will once again enter the tournament among the favourites, with Messi hoping to add another historic chapter to his remarkable international career.
