Argentina have named their 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, with the headline name being the inclusion of the greatest footballer of all time - Lionel Messi.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner had been a worrying doubt for the tournament, after sustaining an injury for club side Inter Miami just over a week ago, but he has been named to lead Argentina into his sixth World Cup.
Messi's inclusion will come as a significant boost to La Albiceleste's chances of retaining their 2022 World Cup crown, having won their last three international tournaments - including the last two Copa America titles.
Alongside the inclusion of Argentina's all time record goalscorer and appearance maker, there have also been some notable omissions from the squad.
Aston Villa's Emiliano Buendia - who scored in the Villans' Europa League final triumph against Freiburg in May - and Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi - who looks set to join Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer - have both been left out of the squad.
The duo's exclusion comes as somewhat of a surprise, given that both had displayed exceptional form at club level over the course of the 2025/26 season.
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez - fresh off the Europa League trophy win - is named as one of three goalkeepers, alongside Marseille's Rulli and Atletico Madrid's Musso.
The former Arsenal goalkeeper is yet to feature in an international tournament that Argentina have not won and will be hoping to add to his 2022 World Cup Golden Glove in the 2026 tournament.
Argentina's defence for this tournament is dominated by those who featured in the 2022 success, with Nicolas Tagliafico, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez and Nicolas Otamendi all featuring in the last World Cup final.
Marseille's Facundo Medina and Leonardo Balerdi - alongside Atletico Madrid's Nahuel Medina - will feature at their first World Cup tournament.
Messi's club teammate Rodrigo De Paul is included in a midfield, which also mirrors the 2022 squad, alongside fellow defending champions Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Leandro Paredes and Exequiel Palacios.
Former Tottenham midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso and soon-to-be Chelsea midfielder Valentin Barco are the new inclusions in the middle of the field.
Lionel Scaloni has continued to trust his players from the last World Cup, with 2022 champions Julian Alvarez, Thiago Almada and Lautaro Martinez joining Messi in a scintillating attack.
Como's Nico Paz, Atletico Madrid's Giuliano Simeone and Palmeiras' Juan Manuel López will feature at their first World Cup tournament, as the only changes in the attackers.
Scaloni's Argentina are 8/1 to retain the World Cup.
Argentina World Cup squad
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 Medina (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).
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