Geronimo Rulli, Leonardo Balerdi, Facundo Medina, Nicolas Tagliafico and Valentin Barco in Argentina’s 2026 provisional squad | OneFootball

Argentina have issued a 55-man provisional list for the 2026 World Cup, with five Ligue 1 players potentially involved in the holders’ title defence. According to L'Équipe, Lionel Messi is also named.

Coach Lionel Scaloni has submitted 55 names to FIFA for the tournament, which runs from 11 June to 19 July in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Messi, the eight-time Ballon d'Or, has cast doubt on playing but is selected at 38 and turns 39 on 24 June, with 198 caps and 116 goals.

The Ligue 1 quintet are Nicolas Tagliafico of OL, Geronimo Rulli, Leonardo Balerdi and Facundo Medina of OM, and Valentin Barco of Strasbourg. Tagliafico, a 2022 world champion, remains in Scaloni’s plans. Barco has only two caps and could make his first World Cup.

Despite an inconsistent season with OM, Rulli, Balerdi and Medina are included in the preliminary pool.

Argentina open against Algeria on 17 June at 2.00. Warm-up fixtures are set against Honduras on 7 June and Iceland on 10 June.

Source: L'Équipe