Argentina World Cup Squad 2026: Full 26-Player Roster
The Argentina World Cup Squad 2026 fell one game short of history. Lionel Scaloni’s 26 man roster won six straight matches to reach the final, but Spain edged them 1 to 0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium on July 19. Ferran Torres scored the only goal in the 106th minute, and Argentina, down to 10 men after Enzo Fernández was sent off, finished as runners up.
Captain Lionel Messi ended his record sixth World Cup with eight goals and four assists but could not add a second title. Kylian Mbappé’s brace in the third place playoff took him to 10 goals and the Golden Boot, and past Messi as the all time World Cup top scorer.
Below is the full squad list, every result from the run, how the final was lost, and the key players who carried Argentina there.
Argentina World Cup Squad 2026: Full 26 Player Roster
Players are grouped by position and listed by caps within each group. Caps and goals are official figures as of the start of the tournament.
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Emiliano Martínez | Aston Villa | 33 | 59 | 0 |
| GK | Gerónimo Rulli | Marseille | 34 | 7 | 0 |
| GK | Juan Musso | Atlético Madrid | 32 | 3 | 0 |
| DF | Nicolás Otamendi | Benfica | 38 | 130 | 8 |
| DF | Nicolás Tagliafico | Lyon | 33 | 75 | 1 |
| DF | Nahuel Molina | Atlético Madrid | 28 | 58 | 1 |
| DF | Cristian Romero | Tottenham Hotspur | 28 | 49 | 3 |
| DF | Gonzalo Montiel | River Plate | 29 | 38 | 2 |
| DF | Lisandro Martínez | Manchester United | 28 | 26 | 1 |
| DF | Facundo Medina | Marseille | 27 | 7 | 0 |
| DF | Marcos Senesi | Tottenham Hotspur | 29 | 3 | 0 |
| MF | Rodrigo De Paul | Inter Miami CF | 32 | 85 | 2 |
| MF | Leandro Paredes | Boca Juniors | 31 | 77 | 5 |
| MF | Giovani Lo Celso | Real Betis | 30 | 65 | 4 |
| MF | Alexis Mac Allister | Liverpool | 27 | 44 | 6 |
| MF | Enzo Fernández | Chelsea | 25 | 40 | 6 |
| MF | Exequiel Palacios | Bayer Leverkusen | 27 | 38 | 0 |
| MF | Valentín Barco | Strasbourg | 21 | 2 | 1 |
| FW | Lionel Messi (C) | Inter Miami CF | 38 | 198 | 116 |
| FW | Lautaro Martínez | Inter Milan | 28 | 75 | 36 |
| FW | Julián Álvarez | Atlético Madrid | 26 | 51 | 14 |
| FW | Nicolás González | Atlético Madrid | 28 | 50 | 6 |
| FW | Thiago Almada | Atlético Madrid | 25 | 14 | 4 |
| FW | Giuliano Simeone | Atlético Madrid | 23 | 11 | 1 |
| FW | Nico Paz | Como | 21 | 8 | 1 |
| FW | José Manuel López | Palmeiras | 25 | 3 | 0 |
(C) = captain. Squad as confirmed on May 28, 2026. Marcos Senesi replaced the injured Leonardo Balerdi before the opener.
For all 48 team announcement dates, see the World Cup 2026 squads list.
Quick Stats
Here are the key numbers behind Lionel Scaloni’s final 26.
- Final finish: runners up, beaten 1 to 0 by Spain after extra time
- Captain: Lionel Messi, in his record sixth World Cup
- Qatar 2022 winners retained: 17 players
- Messi at this tournament: 8 goals and 4 assists
- Messi’s World Cup career: 21 goals, second only to Kylian Mbappé on 22
- Atlético Madrid players: 6 (Musso, Molina, Álvarez, Nico González, Almada, Simeone)
- Youngest players: Valentín Barco and Nico Paz (both 21)
- Oldest players: Lionel Messi (39) and Nicolás Otamendi (38)
- World Cup debutants: Musso, Barco, Facundo Medina, Senesi, Nico Paz, Simeone, Nico González, and José Manuel López
Argentina World Cup Squad 2026 Schedule and Results
Argentina won six matches in a row before losing the final. Here is the complete record.
| Date | Match | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 16 | Argentina vs Algeria | Won 3 to 0 | Kansas City |
| June 22 | Argentina vs Austria | Won 2 to 0 | Arlington |
| June 27 | Argentina vs Jordan | Won 3 to 1 | Arlington |
| July 3 | Argentina vs Cape Verde (R32) | Won 3 to 2 (AET) | Miami Gardens |
| July 7 | Argentina vs Egypt (R16) | Won 3 to 2 | Atlanta |
| July 11 | Argentina vs Switzerland (QF) | Won 3 to 1 (AET) | Kansas City |
| July 15 | Argentina vs England (SF) | Won 2 to 1 | Atlanta |
| July 19 | Argentina vs Spain (Final) | Lost 0 to 1 (AET) | East Rutherford |
Messi lit up the opener with a hat trick against Algeria and later turned playmaker. Argentina edged Cape Verde in extra time, recovered from 2 to 0 down to beat Egypt, saw off 10 man Switzerland through late goals from Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez, then answered Anthony Gordon’s opener for England with an 85th minute Enzo Fernández equaliser and a Lautaro winner in stoppage time.
How Spain Beat Argentina in the World Cup 2026 Final
Spain controlled the final at MetLife Stadium and never let Argentina settle. The champions did not manage a shot on target in normal time, and the game turned on the hour mark when Enzo Fernández was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Pau Cubarsí, leaving Argentina with 10 men for the last 30 minutes and all of extra time.
The breakthrough came in the 106th minute. Pedro Porro crossed, Nico Williams headed the ball down, and Ferran Torres, a 62nd minute substitute, finished from close range. It is Spain’s second World Cup title after 2010, and it denied Argentina the chance to become only the third team to retain the trophy, after Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962.
Key Players of Argentina’s World Cup 2026 Run
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami). Messi turned 39 during the tournament and shaped the run from start to finish. He scored a hat trick against Algeria, finished with eight goals and four assists, and set up both goals in the semifinal comeback against England. He ends his sixth World Cup with 21 career goals, second only to Mbappé.
Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan). Argentina’s clutch finisher. He struck the extra time equaliser against Cape Verde, the late third against Switzerland, and the stoppage time winner that beat England.
Enzo Fernández (Chelsea). He scored the stoppage time winner against Egypt and the equaliser against England, but his second yellow card in the final left Argentina a man short for the decisive half hour.
Julián Álvarez (Atlético Madrid). A Qatar 2022 hero who played through the middle and off Messi. His extra time strike broke 10 man Switzerland’s resistance in the quarterfinal.
Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa). The 2022 Golden Glove winner kept Argentina alive in the tight knockout ties and had no chance with Ferran Torres’ winner in the final.
Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool). The Liverpool midfielder opened the scoring against Switzerland and carried much of the midfield load once Argentina went down to 10 men in the final.
Group J Final Standings
Argentina cruised to the top of the group. Austria pipped Algeria to second on goal difference, and both went through, while debutants Jordan were eliminated.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +7 | 9 |
| 2 | Austria | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Algeria | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | −1 | 4 |
| 4 | Jordan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | −5 | 0 |
Algeria advanced as one of the best third placed teams. For full group breakdowns, see our Groups page.
How Argentina Qualified for World Cup 2026
Argentina qualified comfortably through the CONMEBOL South American round robin. Scaloni’s side topped the 10 team group and became the first team to qualify on merit, with the three hosts already in, confirming their place on March 25, 2025 with five matches to spare.
Lautaro Martínez and Lionel Messi led the scoring through qualifying, with key wins over rivals home and away. The campaign showed the same control that defined the 2022 title run, and Argentina entered the tournament ranked number one in the world.
Head Coach: Lionel Scaloni
Lionel Scaloni, 48, has managed Argentina since 2018 and oversaw the most successful period in the nation’s modern history. He guided the team to the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 World Cup, the 2024 Copa América, and a second straight World Cup final in 2026.
Scaloni favours a flexible 4-3-3 that can shift to a back five against stronger sides. He built the team around Messi while developing a deep, balanced squad that can win in different ways. For 2026 he made hard calls, leaving out teenager Franco Mastantuono and 2022 winner Marcos Acuña, then lost defender Leonardo Balerdi to a pre tournament injury.
FAQ About Argentina World Cup Squad 2026
Who won the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Spain won the 2026 World Cup, beating Argentina 1 to 0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium on July 19. Ferran Torres scored the only goal in the 106th minute. It is Spain’s second World Cup title after 2010.
What was the score in the Argentina vs Spain World Cup final?
Spain beat Argentina 1 to 0 after extra time. Ferran Torres, a 62nd minute substitute, scored in the 106th minute after Pedro Porro crossed and Nico Williams headed the ball into his path.
Why did Argentina lose the World Cup 2026 final?
Spain controlled the game and Argentina failed to register a shot on target in normal time. Enzo Fernández was sent off for a second yellow card, leaving Argentina with 10 men for the last 30 minutes and all of extra time before Ferran Torres struck.
How did Argentina do at the World Cup 2026?
Argentina finished as runners up. They won all three Group J matches, then beat Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland, and England in the knockout rounds before losing the final to Spain.
Did Lionel Messi win the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup?
No. Messi finished with eight goals and four assists. Kylian Mbappé won the Golden Boot with 10 goals after scoring twice in France’s third place playoff defeat to England.
Is Lionel Messi the all time World Cup top scorer?
Not any more. Messi finished the 2026 tournament on 21 World Cup goals, but Kylian Mbappé overtook him during the third place playoff and now leads with 22.
Is Lionel Messi retiring from Argentina?
Messi has not announced his retirement from international football. He has said he will keep playing while he feels able to contribute, but he has ruled out appearing at a seventh World Cup.
How many World Cups has Lionel Messi played in?
The 2026 World Cup was Messi’s sixth, a men’s record. He previously played in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022, winning the title in Qatar. He is the first male player to appear in six World Cups.
Argentina World Cup Squad 2026 Verdict
The Argentina World Cup Squad 2026 came within one game of becoming the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962. Six straight wins, two extra time survivals, and two comebacks from behind made Scaloni’s side the story of the tournament until Spain shut them down in the final.
Messi leaves his sixth and almost certainly last World Cup with 21 goals and a runners up medal. With Qatar 2022 champions still in their prime and a new generation in Nico Paz, Barco, and Simeone, Argentina begin the road to 2030 from a strong base.
