Argentina World Cup 2026 preview: Players to watch, group matches and squad
Messi is hoping to overcome injury to help Argentina become the first back-to-back World Cup champions since 1962. Previous World Cup appearances: 18 Best performance
Messi is hoping to overcome injury to help Argentina become the first back-to-back World Cup champions since 1962. Previous World Cup appearances: 18 Best performance: Winners (1978, 1986, 2022) First appearance: 1930 (Uruguay) Top goal scorer: Lionel Messi (13) Most appearances: Lionel Messi (26) Player to watch: Lionel Messi FIFA world ranking: 3 Defending champions Argentina are bidding to become the first side since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back titles. After Argentina beat France in an incredible final in Qatar 2022, many thought it would be the crowning glory of Lionel Messi’s career and that he would have retired from international football by 2026. But the Inter Miami player, who turns 39 during the tournament, plays on and is aiming to repeat the feat in North America, in what really will be his final World Cup. However, winning this tournament appears to be even harder than lifting the last edition. Not only is Messi four years older and in relative decline; other members of the squad are also ageing. And while Argentina has many promising young players, some have been left at home. How much of a force is Messi? Assuming he overcomes a relatively minor hamstring injury, Messi will lead Argentina into their opening game at the tournament against Algeria on June 16. While Messi is still banging in the goals for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, he is far from the force he was at the 2022 edition. His minutes during an intense and long tournament will have to be managed carefully. Messi’s main contribution might be more in terms of presence and aura rather than goals, but he remains a visionary player and a major set-piece threat, even as he has lost some power and speed as he pushes 40.
Messi will most likely retire from international football after the 2026 World Cup. He said a 3-0 victory over Venezuela on September 4 was his final competitive international fixture on home soil. “There are so many emotions, I’ve experienced so many things on this field,” Messi said after the game at Estadio Mas Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. “It’s always a joy to play in Argentina with our people. We’ve been enjoying match after match for many years. I’m very happy; being able to finish in this way here is what I always dreamed of.” An experienced squad Argentina’s squad features 17 of the 26 players who won the title in Qatar. Even if Messi is reduced to a supporting role, Argentina have the experience and talent to win the World Cup. Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez remains a superb centre forward, and was Serie A’s top scorer with 17 goals, while potential strike partner Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez has been fantastic in bursts this season. The midfield is stacked with Premier League and La Liga quality, from the finesse and creativity of Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, to the bo to-box dynamism and aggression of Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, and the versatile energy of Atleti’s Rodrigo De Paul. The defence is replete with tough-tackling, durable centre-backs such as Nicolas Otamendi and Christian Romero, although it can be a little rough at times, and there is a lack of top-quality full-backs. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has a phenomenal penalty shootout pedigree – always a plus for the World Cup. Emerging talent More excitingly, a new generation of attacking talent is starting to emerge. Nico Paz is a highly touted attacking midfielder who has had a strong season in Serie A with Como, while the versatile 21-year-old Valentin Barco was also called up.
The BriefWire