Lionel Scaloni has finally named his Argentina national football team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to defend the global title. For people asking whether Lionel Messi will play in the 2026 World Cup, the answer is yes: Messi will feature in Argentina’s squad. Other notable players in the Argentina lineup & roster for the World Cup include Julian Alvarez, Romero, Emiliano Martinez, and others.
Follow the SportPesa blog to get all the latest updates on the Argentina national football team, squad news, fixtures, results, group standings and all key stars for the World Cup football competitions. Argentina, also known as the Albiceleste, is currently ranked 3rd in the FIFA World Rankings and has won the World Cup title a record 3 times. The current FIFA World Cup champion is aiming to defend its title, considering its past history of producing players who have won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball 3 times. Will they beat Italy and Brazil, who have previously set consecutive records for World Cup wins, and produce the best results this season?
Stay updated at SportPesa for all World Cup Matches coverage, including latest events, venues, tickets and match schedules.
Argentina squad 2026 profile overview
| Profile area | Argentina national team details |
|---|---|
| Team name | Argentina national football team |
| Common nickname | La Albiceleste, meaning the white and sky blue |
| Other nickname | La Selección |
| Football association | Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA) |
| Confederation | CONMEBOL |
| Region | South America |
| Head coach | Lionel Scaloni |
| Team captain | Lionel Messi |
| Most-capped player | Lionel Messi, 198 appearances |
| All-time top scorer | Lionel Messi, 116 goals |
| FIFA country code | ARG |
| Home venue | Various stadiums |
| Current FIFA ranking | 3rd as of 1 April 2026 |
| Highest FIFA ranking | 1st |
| Lowest FIFA ranking | 24th in August 1996 |
| First international match | Uruguay 0–6 Argentina, played in Montevideo on 20 July 1902 |
| Biggest win | Argentina 12–0 Ecuador, played in Montevideo on 22 January 1942 |
| Heaviest defeats | Czechoslovakia 6–1 Argentina, Colombia 5–0 Argentina, Bolivia 6–1 Argentina and Spain 6–1 Argentina |
| FIFA World Cup appearances | 19 appearances, first played in 1930 |
| FIFA World Cup best finish | Champions in 1978, 1986 and 2022 |
| Copa América appearances | 44 appearances, first played in 1916 |
| Copa América titles | 16 titles, including 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993, 2021 and 2024 |
| Panamerican Championship record | Two appearances, with the title won in 1960 |
| CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions record | Three appearances, with titles in 1993 and 2022 |
| Confederations Cup record | Three appearances, with the title won in 1992 |
| Official website | afa.com.ar/selecciones |
Argentina Men’s Squad for World Cup 2026
Argentina squad 2026
| Squad section | Player | Position | Age | Height | Weight | Nationality |
| Goalkeepers | Emiliano Martínez | Goalkeeper | 33 | 6′ 5″ | 214 lbs | Argentina |
| Goalkeepers | Gerónimo Rulli | Goalkeeper | 34 | 6′ 2″ | 174 lbs | Argentina |
| Goalkeepers | Juan Musso | Goalkeeper | 32 | 6′ 3″ | 203 lbs | Argentina |
| Goalkeepers | Walter Benítez | Goalkeeper | 33 | 6′ 3″ | 205 lbs | Argentina |
| Goalkeepers | Facundo Cambeses | Goalkeeper | 29 | 6′ 1″ | 185 lbs | Argentina |
| Goalkeepers | Santiago Beltrán | Goalkeeper | 21 | 6′ 3″ | 185 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Cristian Romero | Defender | 28 | 6′ 1″ | 172 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Nicolás Otamendi | Defender | 38 | 6′ 0″ | 174 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Germán Pezzella | Defender | 34 | 6′ 2″ | 172 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Nicolás Tagliafico | Defender | 33 | 5′ 8″ | 148 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Marcos Acuña | Defender | 34 | 5′ 8″ | 170 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Nahuel Molina | Defender | 28 | 5′ 9″ | 152 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Lucas Martínez Quarta | Defender | 30 | 6′ 0″ | 172 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Gonzalo Montiel | Defender | 29 | 5′ 9″ | 152 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Lisandro Martínez | Defender | 28 | 5′ 9″ | 170 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Marcos Senesi | Defender | 29 | 6′ 1″ | 172 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Kevin Mac Allister | Defender | 28 | 5′ 9″ | 159 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Gabriel Rojas | Defender | 28 | 5′ 8″ | 161 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Facundo Medina | Defender | 27 | 6′ 0″ | 172 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Leonardo Balerdi | Defender | 27 | 6′ 2″ | 185 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Zaid Romero | Defender | 26 | 6′ 4″ | 203 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Agustín Giay | Defender | 22 | 5′ 11″ | 172 lbs | Argentina |
| Defenders | Lautaro Di Lollo | Defender | 22 | 6′ 2″ | 192 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Leandro Paredes | Midfielder | 31 | 5′ 11″ | 161 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Rodrigo De Paul | Midfielder | 32 | 5′ 11″ | 152 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Giovani Lo Celso | Midfielder | 30 | 5′ 10″ | 150 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Guido Rodríguez | Midfielder | 32 | 6′ 1″ | 174 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Emiliano Buendía | Midfielder | 29 | 5′ 8″ | 163 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Exequiel Palacios | Midfielder | 27 | 5′ 9″ | 159 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Alexis Mac Allister | Midfielder | 27 | 5′ 9″ | 159 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Nicolás Domínguez | Midfielder | 27 | 5′ 10″ | 159 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Thiago Almada | Midfielder | 25 | 5′ 7″ | 139 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Nicolás Capaldo | Midfielder | 27 | 5′ 10″ | 161 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Enzo Fernández | Midfielder | 25 | 5′ 10″ | 168 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Aníbal Moreno | Midfielder | 27 | 5′ 10″ | 161 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Alan Varela | Midfielder | 24 | 5′ 10″ | 161 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Máximo Perrone | Midfielder | 23 | 5′ 10″ | 159 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Valentín Barco | Midfielder | 21 | 5′ 7″ | 146 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Matìas Soulè | Midfielder | 23 | 6′ 0″ | 161 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Alejandro Garnacho | Midfielder | 21 | 5′ 11″ | 161 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Nico Paz | Midfielder | 21 | 6′ 1″ | 179 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Claudio Echeverri | Midfielder | 20 | 5′ 7″ | 137 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Ezequiel Fernández | Midfielder | 23 | 5′ 10″ | 152 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Milton Delgado | Midfielder | 20 | 5′ 5″ | 128 lbs | Argentina |
| Midfielders | Tomás Aranda | Midfielder | 19 | 5′ 8″ | 146 lbs | Argentina |
| Forwards | Lionel Messi | Forward | 38 | 5′ 7″ | 148 lbs | Argentina |
| Forwards | Nicolás González | Forward | 28 | 5′ 11″ | 170 lbs | Argentina |
| Forwards | Lautaro Martínez | Forward | 28 | 5′ 9″ | 159 lbs | Argentina |
| Forwards | Santiago Castro | Forward | 21 | 5′ 10″ | 190 lbs | Argentina |
| Forwards | Julián Álvarez | Forward | 26 | 5′ 7″ | 157 lbs | Argentina |
| Forwards | Flaco López | Forward | 25 | 6′ 3″ | 161 lbs | Argentina |
| Forwards | Mateo Pellegrino | Forward | 24 | 6′ 4″ | 174 lbs | Argentina |
| Forwards | Giuliano Simeone | Forward | 23 | 5′ 8″ | 163 lbs | Argentina |
| Forwards | Gianluca Prestianni | Forward | 20 | 5′ 5″ | 139 lbs | Argentina |
| Forwards | Franco Mastantuono | Forward | 18 | 5′ 10″ | 161 lbs | Argentina |
Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026 standings, tables, groups and latest stats
Conclusion
Argentina’s national football team will make a statement by defending its World Cup title in 2026. The current World champions have been placed in Group J together with Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. Various football experts and punters have favoured Argentina as the clear favourite to carry the glory to the next round from this group. Will the Argentina Squad play to impress and win the World Cup again in 2026?
Keep informed with all the latest updates on World Cup 2026 at SportPesa Blog.
Read Also: FIFA World Cup 2026
