Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has announced the 26-player squad aiming to defend their FIFA World Cup title in North America. Led by star player Lionel Messi, the team is eager to achieve a feat not seen since Brazil’s successful defense in 1962.
The squad features key attackers like Lautaro Martinez from Inter Milan and Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid. Scaloni has included new faces like Valentin Barco, Jose Manuel Lopez, and Nico Paz, who have impressed with their performances in Europe.
Messi, set for his sixth World Cup appearance, enters the tournament after experiencing physical discomfort in his last match for Inter Miami. Scaloni mentioned monitoring Messi’s condition closely after he requested to be substituted due to not feeling well.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, recovering from a finger injury, and defender Cristian Romero, rehabilitating from a knee problem, are also part of the squad. Notably, nine players from the previous championship team are absent, including Angel Di Maria and Paulo Dybala.
Argentina, with 17 players from the 2022 World Cup-winning squad, will kick off their campaign against Algeria on June 16. The team will also play friendlies against Honduras and Iceland as part of their preparations.
