2 weeks ago
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Amid a worrying rash of injuries, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni sought to dispel doubts by confirming that astir of the reigning World Champions, including skipper Lionel Messi, volition beryllium portion of the squad that volition question a 2nd consecutive rubric astatine the 2026 World Cup.
Messi, astir to crook 39, headlines the 26-man World Cup roster announced by the Argentine Football Association connected Thursday (May 28, 2026). Of those called up, 17 players were portion of the squad that triumphed 4 years agone successful the last against France successful Qatar.
Several of those players were successful uncertainty owed to injuries of varying severity, adjacent to the June 1 deadline acceptable by FIFA for finalising World Cup squads. Among them was Messi himself, who is suffering from musculus fatigue and strain successful his near hamstring, which prevented him from finishing the lucifer with Inter Miami past Sunday (May 24, 2026) .
The nine has officially stated that his betterment clip volition beryllium connected "his objective and functional progress." Messi volition beryllium playing successful his sixth World Cup, having antecedently participated successful Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2015, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who fractured the ringing digit of his close manus during past week's Europa League last successful which Aston Villa defeated Freiburg, has besides been confirmed.
Scaloni besides included defender Cristian Romero, who is recovering from a sprained collateral ligament successful his close genu suffered successful mid-April portion playing for Tottenham, and fullbacks Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel, who scored the decisive punishment kicks successful the 2002 World Cup shootout against France, some of whom are recovering from musculus injuries.
Argentina, besides satellite champions successful 1978 and 1986, volition debut connected June 16 against Algeria successful Group J, which besides includes Austria and Jordan.
Argentina Line-up
The squad volition question connected Saturday (May 30, 2026) to their World Cup basal successful Kansas City and volition play friendlies against Honduras and Iceland earlier the commencement of the tournament. Argentina squad goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa), Gerónimo Rulli (Olympique de Marseille), Juan Musso (Atlético de Madrid).
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Nahuel Molina (Atlético de Madrid), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique de Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Nicolás Tagliafico (Olympique de Lyon), Facundo Medina (Olympique de Marseille).
Midfielders: Giovani Lo Celso (Betis), Leandro Paredes (Boca Jrs), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Valentín Barco (RC Strasbourg Alsace).
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolás González (Atlético de Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético de Madrid), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), José Manuel López (Palmeiras), Julián Álvarez (Atlético de Madrid), Thiago Almada (Lyon), Nico Paz (Como).
