Lionel Messi headlines Argentina’s 26-man squad for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Inter Miami star Lionel Messi will lead defending champion Argentina at a record sixth World Cup in North America this summer despite an injury scare.

The 38-year-old was selected in head coach Lionel Scaloni’s 26-player squad on Thursday, May 28. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will become the first men to play in six tournaments.

This comes days after Inter Miami confirmed that Messi suffered from muscle fatigue in his left hamstring after an initial diagnosis indicated an overload.

“The initial updates aren’t entirely bad. Now, we must wait to see how he evolves, pending the results of further tests to see if they confirm the initial medical reports,”

Scaloni said in an interview with DSports earlier this week. “We all wished Messi could have joined the squad fully fit, but that isn’t the reality,” Scaloni added.

“It’s not just him; many players have yet to fully recover from injuries. Our main priority now is their rehabilitation to ensure they reach the World Cup in peak condition.”

Argentina is set to face Algeria, Austria, and Jordan in the tournament’s group stage, debuting on June 16 in Kansas City. The team will also participate in friendlies against Honduras and Iceland in preparation for the World Cup.

See the Argentina’s FIFA 2026 World Cup Squad below.

Goalkeepers

• Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa)
• Gerónimo Rulli (Marseille)
• Juan Musso (Atlético Madrid)

Defenders:

• Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille)
• Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon)
• Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate)
• Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United)
• Cristian Romero (Tottenham)
• Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica)
• Facundo Medina (Marseille)
• Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid)

Midfielders:

• Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors)
• Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami)
• Valentín Barco (Strasbourg)
• Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis)
• Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
• Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
• Enzo Fernández (Chelsea)

Forwards:

• Julián Álvarez (Atlético Madrid)
• Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
• Nico González (Atlético Madrid)
• Thiago Almada (Atlético Madrid)
• Giuliano Simeone (Atlético Madrid)