Argentina ARG

Argentina arrive at World Cup 2026 as the sport's reigning overlords — holders of both the World Cup and Copa América, ranked third in the world by FIFA, and still guided by the steady hand of manager Lionel Scaloni. Few teams in the tournament's history have carried such a weight of expectation, and fewer still have had the squad depth to justify it.

The foundation of that confidence is continuity. Almost all of the class of 2022 is still around, including Lionel Messi, meaning Scaloni can call upon a group that has already won together at the highest level and knows precisely what is required when the pressure peaks. That collective memory and chemistry is an advantage no training camp can manufacture from scratch.

The concern, however, is physical rather than tactical. Several players had injury setbacks at the end of very demanding club seasons, and arriving at a World Cup short of full fitness is a risk even the most talented squad cannot entirely absorb. How quickly those players round into form could define how far Argentina go.

The roster reads like a who's who of world football. Emiliano Martínez guards the net behind a defensive core of Nicolás Otamendi, Lisandro Martínez, and Nicolás Tagliafico. The engine room is driven by Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes, and Alexis Mac Allister, with creative sparks provided by Thiago Almada and Valentín Barco. Up front, Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez offer relentless movement and goals, with Messi pulling every string behind them. On paper, it remains one of the most complete squads in the competition.