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LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Lionel Messi of Argentina lifts the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Winner's Trophy during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
The 2026 Argentina World Cup squad, led by global superstar Lionel Messi, is the defending champion after winning the 2022 tournament, and the national football team is hopeful to do the same in this year’s competition.
The Argentina roster is one of the best in the world, featuring players on some of the best club teams across the planet.
As the Argentina squad begins its journey at the 2026 World Cup, here is a list of all 26 players and the club teams they represent when playing domestic football.
GettyAUBURN, ALABAMA – JUNE 09: Players of Argentina pose for a photo prior to the international friendly match between Argentina and Iceland at Jordan-Hare Stadium on June 09, 2026 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Here is the entire roster of Argentina national team players and the club teams for all 26, broken up by position:
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa), Gerónimo Rulli (Olympique de Marseille), Juan Musso (Atlético de Madrid)
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Nahuel Molina (Atlético de Madrid), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Nicolás Otamendi (SL Benfica), Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique de Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), Facundo Medina (Olympique de Marseille), Nicolás Tagliafico (Olympique Lyonnais)
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Valentín Barco (RC Strasbourg)
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolás Paz (Como 1907), Thiago Almada (Atlético de Madrid), Nicolás González (Atlético de Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético de Madrid), Lautaro Martínez (Internazionale Milan), José Manuel López (Palmeiras), Julián Álvarez (Atlético de Madrid)
Of the 26 players selected for the 2026 Argentina World Cup squad, a majority play in the Spanish LaLiga (7). After that, the English Premier League (5) and French Ligue 1 (5) share the second-most club teams represented on the roster. The Argentinian Primera División and American MLS each have two players, while other top club leagues each have one player represented for the Argentina national football team.
Regarding the most represented club teams, Atlético Madrid leads the way with six, followed by Olympique de Marseille with three, Inter Miami with two, and 15 club teams with one player each.
Messi of Inter Miami is the most notable player on the Argentina World Cup squad, and perhaps in the tournament in general, after leading the national team to a famous championship in 2022. He will lead headlines the entire World Cup, and will be the star to watch out for during the team’s games in the group stage and knockout rounds.
GettyAUBURN, ALABAMA – JUNE 09: Thiago Almada of Argentina celebrates with Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul after scoring the team’s third goal during the international friendly match between Argentina and Iceland at Jordan-Hare Stadium on June 09, 2026 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Now that you know the Argentina national football team players, here’s a look at their place in the 2026 World Cup and the squad’s history at the tournament.
Argentina is in Group J alongside Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. Here’s its schedule for the World Cup:
June 16, 2026: Argentina vs Algeria – Kansas City Stadium (9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT)
June 22, 2026: Argentina vs Austria – Dallas Stadium (1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT)
June 27, 2026: Argentina vs Jordan – Dallas Stadium (9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT)
Argentina is a heavy favorite to win Group J and advance to the knockout round. In the past, they’ve gotten through the group stage in all but three of the country’s 15 World Cup appearances.
The national team has won the tournament a total of four times: 1978, 1986, and most famously in 2022, led by Messi. Argentina has finished second three times (1930, 1990, and 2014).
Argentina beat France in penalties at the 2022 World Cup Final, and while the national team doesn’t share as high odds to win the 2026 tournament as the previous runners-up, the Messi-led squad is one of the favorites to win the competition for the second time in a row.
However, Brazil and Italy are the only teams to win the World Cup twice in a row, and it hasn’t happened in nearly 70 years, so history is not on the side of the 2026 Argentina national football team.
Still, with one of the best players in the world in Messi, and top-tier talent playing on some of the best club teams on the planet, there is hope this Argentina World Cup squad can make waves at the tournament this year.
Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski
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