MESSI LEADS ARGENTINA’S 26-MAN SQUAD FOR 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP TITLE DEFENCE
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By ‘Sefiu Ajape
The wait is over as Lionel Scaloni has announced Argentina’s official 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The biggest talking point is the omission of Franco Mastantuono, while experienced defender Marcos Acuña also missed out on the final roster.
Led by captain Lionel Messi, Argentina will head to the United States, Mexico and Canada with the aim of defending the world title they won in Qatar in 2022.
Mastantuono and Acuña headline omissions
Scaloni’s final list features several notable absentees, with Mastantuono’s exclusion standing out the most after he failed to break into an attack packed with established international stars.
Acuña, who was part of the squad that won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, was also left out of the team.
Despite the omissions, Scaloni has retained the core of the squad that lifted the trophy in Qatar, blending experienced players with rising talents such as Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Julián Álvarez and Giuliano Simeone.
Argentina’s official squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Goalkeepers: Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez (Aston Villa), Gerónimo Rulli (Olympique Marseille), Juan Musso (Atlético de Madrid)
Defenders: Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille), Nicolás Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Facundo Medina (Olympique Marseille), Nahuel Molina (Atlético de Madrid)
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)
Forwards: Julián Álvarez (Atlético de Madrid), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nico González (Atlético de Madrid), Thiago Almada (Atlético de Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético de Madrid), Nico Paz (Como), Juan Manuel López (Palmeiras), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan)
Messi leads Argentina’s title defense
At 39, Messi remains the focal point of Argentina’s ambitions heading into another World Cup campaign.
The captain will aim to add another historic achievement to a career that already includes the 2022 World Cup triumph, two Copa América titles, and numerous records with the national team.
Alongside Messi, key players such as Emiliano Martínez, Rodrigo De Paul, Cristian Romero, Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez will anchor an Argentina side widely regarded as one of the favourites for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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