26World
Cup

Group J · CONMEBOL · FIFA #3 · 10/1

Argentina flag

Argentina

2114

The defending champions arrive on a perfect six-win warm-up run for Messi's farewell — the only cloud is Romero's knee.

Coach Lionel Scaloni (Argentina) · since 2018

Matches

ArgentinaArgentina flag2–0Algeria flagAlgeria
Group J · Kansas City · 20:00 CDT72 · 19 · 9
ArgentinaArgentina flag2–0Austria flagAustria
Group J · Arlington · 12:00 CDT63 · 23 · 14
JordanJordan flag0–2Argentina flagArgentina
Group J · Arlington · 21:00 CDT5 · 13 · 82
ArgentinaArgentina flag1–0Uruguay flagUruguay
Round of 32 · Miami Gardens · 18:00 EDT62 · 23 · 15
ArgentinaArgentina flag2–0United States flagUnited States
Round of 16 · Atlanta · 12:00 EDT66 · 21 · 13
ArgentinaArgentina flag1–0Portugal flagPortugal
Quarter-final · Kansas City · 20:00 CDT47 · 27 · 26
EnglandEngland flag0–1Argentina flagArgentina
Semi-final · Atlanta · 15:00 EDT29 · 28 · 43
SpainSpain flag1–0Argentina flagArgentina
Final · East Rutherford · 15:00 EDT42 · 28 · 30

Key players

  • Lionel MessiFW · Inter Miami

    Record sixth World Cup at 38; scored a penalty in his 20-minute Iceland cameo

  • Lautaro MartínezST · Inter

    First-choice No. 9, scored vs Honduras

  • Julián ÁlvarezFW · Atlético Madrid

    Elite all-round forward in peak years

  • Enzo FernándezMF · Chelsea

    Midfield conductor

  • Alexis Mac AllisterMF · Liverpool

    World Cup-winning engine room

  • Emiliano MartínezGK · Aston Villa

    Clutch shot-stopper from Qatar 2022

  • Cristian RomeroCB · Tottenham

    Included despite recovering from a partial MCL tear

  • Thiago AlmadaAM · Atlético Madrid

    In-form creator, scored vs Iceland

Injuries / doubts

  • Cristian Romero — high-grade partial MCL tear in May; included as Scaloni backs his recovery
  • Lionel Messi — late-May hamstring scare deemed minor; fit and scoring in June

Recent form

2026-06-09Iceland3-0 WFriendly
2026-06-06Honduras2-0 WFriendly
2026-03-31Zambia5-0 WFriendly
2026-03-27Mauritania2-1 WFriendly
2025-11-14Angola2-0 WFriendly
2025-10-14Puerto Rico6-0 WFriendly

News

2026-06-10

Messi returned from hamstring fatigue, scored in cameo vs Iceland; expected fit for Algeria opener

2026-06-09

Messi cameo caps 3-0 Iceland win

Penalty in final warm-up; Argentina unbeaten through entire pre-tournament run

2026-05-28

Messi leads squad for sixth World Cup

17 of the Qatar 2022 winners retained; Franco Mastantuono's omission and Acuña's exclusion the big surprises

2026-03-26

Finalissima vs Spain called off

Showpiece scrapped due to Middle East conflict; Argentina hastily booked Mauritania and Zambia instead

← All teams