Lionel Messi headlines Argentina’s provisional World Cup squad for 2026 tournament, Here is the full list

Argentina’s road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially begun as coach Lionel Scaloni announced the country’s preliminary squad for the tournament. The biggest talking point from the list was the inclusion of Lionel Messi, while veteran winger Ángel Di María was left out after confirming his international retirement.

The defending world champions are preparing for another title challenge and Scaloni’s provisional squad shows a mix of experienced stars and exciting young talents. Messi, who led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, continues to remain a central figure despite questions over his future and fitness. The Inter Miami forward is expected to captain the side once again in what could be his final World Cup appearance.

Messi continues while Di María steps away

While Messi’s inclusion brought relief to fans, Di María’s absence marked the end of an era for Argentine football. The Benfica winger had earlier announced that he would retire from international football after helping Argentina win multiple major trophies, including the FIFA World Cup and Copa América.

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Several senior players from the 2022 squad have retained their places in the preliminary team. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, defender Cristian Romero, midfielder Rodrigo De Paul and striker Lautaro Martínez are all part of the squad as Argentina eyes back-to-back World Cup titles.

Young stars grab opportunity in provisional squad

Scaloni has also rewarded several young players for their recent performances. Alejandro Garnacho, Nico Paz, Claudio Echeverri and Franco Mastantuono were among the fresh faces included in the extended list. Their presence highlights Argentina’s gradual transition towards a younger core while still relying on experienced campaigners.

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One notable exclusion from the squad was Paulo Dybala. The Roma forward, who was part of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning side, failed to make the preliminary cut. Argentina are set to trim the squad before the tournament begins, with the final list expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Preliminary squad of Argentina

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Geronimo Rulli, Juan Musso, Walter Benitez, Facundo Cambeses, Santiago Beltran

Defence: Agustin Guay, Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Nicolas Capaldo, Kevin Mac Allister, Lucas Martinez Quarta, Marcos Senesi, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, Germán Pezzella, Leonardo Balerdi, Cristian Romero, Lautaro De Lolo, Zaid Romero, Facundo Medina, Marcos Acuña, Nicolas Tagliafico, Gabriel Rojas

Midfielders: Maximo Peroni, Leandro Paredes, Guido Rodriguez, Aníbal Moreno, Milton Delgado, Alan Varela, Ezequiel Fernandez, Rodrigo De Paul, Exequiel Palacios, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Giovani Lo Celso, Nicolas Dominguez, Emiliano Buendia, Valentin Barco

Forwards: Lionel Messi, Nicolas Paz, Franco Mastantono, Thiago Almada, Tomas Aranda, Nicolas Gonzalez, Alejandro Garnacho, Giuliano Simeone, Matias Solli, Claudio Etxeferee, Gianluca Prestini, Santiago Castro, Lautaro Martinez, Jose Manuel Lopez, Julian Alvarez, Matteo Pellegrino