Lionel Messi will lead Argentina in FIFA World Cup 2026. Image Credit: X/@Argentina
Argentina FIFA World Cup 2026 Squad: Argentina, the current FIFA World Cup holders, have finalized their 26-man squad for the upcoming edition in North America. The Argentine legend, Lionel Messi, will officially be the captain of the team that will compete in the US, Mexico, and Canada. On Thursday, the 38-year-old forward was named in Lionel Scaloni’s squad of 26 players. Four years ago, he guided his country to a third World Cup trophy in Qatar after a penalty shoot-out win against France. Besides Messi, only 41-year-old Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo will be playing his sixth World Cup this summer. He holds the record for most games in the World Cup having featured in 26 matches.
Lionel Scaloni, the head coach of Argentina, revealed the 26-man roster of the reigning champions for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico starting on June 11. Despite recent worries over a left hamstring injury he acquired when playing for Inter Miami last week, captain Lionel Messi is expected to make his sixth appearance at the FIFA World Cup.
The 38-year-old forward remains the central figure in Argentina’s campaign as the South American giants prepare to defend the title they won in Qatar in 2022. Messi had played a defining role in Argentina’s triumphant run during the previous edition, scoring seven goals and registering three assists during the tournament.
Argentina will begin its preparations for the marquee tournament with two international friendlies. Lionel Scaloni’s side is scheduled to face Honduras on June 6 before taking on Iceland on June 9. Following the completion of the warm-up fixtures, the defending champions will shift their base camp to Kansas City ahead of the tournament opener. Argentina, placed in Group J of the FIFA World Cup 2026, will open its campaign against Algeria on June 16, followed by fixtures against Austria and Jordan. The squad announcement comes at a crucial stage of Argentina’s preparations as Scaloni continues to fine-tune combinations and assess player fitness ahead of the global tournament.
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Geronimo Rulli, and Juan Musso
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, Leonardo Balerdi, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Tagliafico, Facundo Medina
Midfielders: Giovani Lo Celso, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Exequiel Palacios, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Valentin Barco
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Nicolas Gonzalez, Giuliano Simeone, Lautaro Martinez, Jose Manuel Lopez, Julian Alvarez, Thiago Almada, Nico Paz
Also Read: Germany National Team FIFA World Cup 2026: Squad, Ranking, Key Players & Redemption Mission
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
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