Champions in doubt: Argentina legends who could miss out on the World Cup | OneFootball

The foundation of Scaloni's cycle remains strong, but the passage of time, injuries, and internal competition are beginning to cast doubt on the presence of some world champions heading towards 2026.

Less than half a year from the 2026 World Cup, the Argentine National Team no longer questions its identity or its backbone. Lionel Scaloni has a consolidated, winning structure with clear leaders. However, the context is starting to change: repeated injuries, loss of continuity, and the emergence of new options raise questions about names that were key in Qatar and today no longer have a guaranteed spot.

The process of renewal does not imply a rupture. Quite the opposite. The intention of the coaching staff is to maintain the champion base but adjust pieces where the present demands it. In this detailed analysis, some historical players appear who, for various reasons, have entered the evaluation zone.

One of the most sensitive cases is that of Giovani Lo Celso. His talent has never been in question, but injuries have once again interrupted his continuity. A new muscle discomfort in the thigh left him out at a key point in the calendar, with the Finalissima against Spain on the horizon. When he is well, he is a direct option for the starting eleven; when not, the margin narrows in an increasingly crowded area of the field.

A similar situation occurs with Juan Foyth. The rupture of the Achilles tendon will sideline him for several months, and his recovery is aimed at the second half of the year. His versatility has always been valued, but time is against him, and internal competition has grown strong in defense.

On the left side, there is the case of Marcos Acuña, another world champion who today depends almost exclusively on his physical condition. When he is at his best, he adds experience and character; when not, he quickly loses ground.

In the same sector, Nicolás Tagliafico can also be mentioned, who, although he is a fixture for Scaloni due to his reliability and effectiveness, was the protagonist of a scare for the National Team: in a Europa League match, the Young Boys defender, Gregory Wuthrich, fell backward on the right leg of the former Banfield and Independiente player, who had to leave the field. However, it is worth noting that his physical form does not seem to be a future concern, as since the last Copa América, he has played 85 matches and has only missed 9 due to injury.

Further back are names like Paulo Dybala or Ángel Correa, whose talent is undisputed but who never managed to maintain continuity within the cycle, either due to injuries or fierce competition in attack.

The flip side of this scenario is clear: the emergence of players like Nicolás Paz, Giuliano Simeone, Valentín Barco, or Franco Mastantuono pushes from below and forces a rethinking of hierarchies. It's not about erasing champions, but understanding that the World Cup is played with the present.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.