Argentina’s World Cup Squad: Who’s In and Who’s Fighting for a Spot | OneFootball

Argentina’s journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is well underway, and things are becoming clearer when it comes to who will be on the plane. ESPN Argentina has given us a useful breakdown of the players who have already made themselves impossible to leave out — and those who still need to impress coach Lionel Scaloni to earn their ticket.

The Certainties

Around twenty players can feel pretty confident about their place in the squad. These are the guys who have been consistent, reliable, and central to everything Argentina does.

In goal, Emiliano Martínez is the clear first choice. The Aston Villa keeper has been outstanding for Argentina for years and that is not going to change. Behind him, Gerónimo Rulli holds the second goalkeeper spot comfortably.

The defense is one of the most settled areas of the team. Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel provide cover at right back, while Nicolás Tagliafico is the trusted option on the left. At the heart of the line, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, and Lisandro Martínez form a strong and experienced partnership that Scaloni relies on heavily.

In midfield, the core group is well established. Rodrigo De Paul is the engine of the team and goes wherever Messi goes. Enzo Fernández and Alexis Mac Allister have become two of the best midfielders in the Premier League and are key figures for Argentina. Leandro Paredes, Exequiel Palacios, Giovanni Simeone, Thiago Almada, and Nicolás Paz are also considered safe picks at this point.

Up front, there is no real debate. Lionel Messi is, of course, the heart of the entire team. Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez are his trusted attacking partners, and Nicolás González gives Scaloni a useful wide option. These four are nailed on.

Six Spots Still Up for Grabs

With the core of the squad looking settled, the real competition is for the remaining six places. Scaloni still needs to fill five positions: a third goalkeeper, a left back, a central defender, two midfielders, and one more forward. This is where things get really interesting.

For the third goalkeeper role, Juan Musso and Walter Benítez are the two main candidates. Both are experienced at the highest level, and either would be a solid option as the last line of backup.

In defense, there is a group of players pushing hard for two remaining spots. Marcos Acuña is fighting to reclaim his place at left back, while Gabriel Rojas is another option in that position. For the central defender role, Leonardo Balerdi, Marcos Senesi, and Facundo Medina are all in the mix and hoping to make a strong enough case before the squad is announced.

The midfield competition might be the most exciting battle of all.

Franco Mastantuono, still a teenager, has been one of the most talked-about young players in South America.

Giovani Lo Celso brings experience and creativity, while Maximo Perrone, Matias Soulé, and Valentín Barco are younger options who have been catching the eye. Only two of them will get through.

Finally, in attack, four players are chasing one spot. Flaco López, Joaquin Panichelli, Valentín Castellanos, and Gianluca Prestianni are all pushing for that final forward position.

The Bottom Line

Argentina go into the 2026 World Cup as one of the favorites, and with good reason. The core of the team is brilliant, experienced, and built around the best player in the world. The six open spots are just the final pieces of a puzzle that is already looking very good. Whoever earns those last places will know they had to fight hard to get there.

Concerns Going Into the Tournament

However, not everything is perfect heading into the World Cup. Argentine fans have been left frustrated and disappointed after the cancellation of the Finalissima, a prestigious match that would have given the team a proper high-level test before the tournament. Instead, Argentina will face Mauritania and Zambia in their warm-up games — two opponents that, with all due respect, are nowhere near the level of competition that the world champions need to be tested against.

For a team that will be expected to compete for the title from day one, preparing against sides ranked far below the elite is far from ideal. Fans and pundits alike are worried that Argentina could arrive at the World Cup without having faced a serious challenge in months. When you are used to playing in Champions League finals and top European leagues every week, friendlies against lower-ranked nations simply do not raise the intensity to the level needed.

It is a small but real concern. Argentina have the squad, they have the talent, and they have Messi. But walking into a World Cup without a meaningful warm-up is a risk, and Argentine fans will be hoping it does not come back to hurt them when the real games begin.