Messi to lead Argentina at sixth World Cup

BUENOS AIRES: Lionel Messi will captain Argentina at the World Cup after coach Lionel Scaloni on Thursday named the 26-man squad for the tournament.

The 38-year-old had not publicly confirmed before the announcement that he would play at the finals, which will mark a record sixth World Cup appearance for the Argentina forward. Messi is set to return four years after captaining his country to the title in Qatar.

Scaloni's selection also confirmed several notable inclusions and omissions. Real Madrid teenager Franco Mastantuono, 18, was left out despite being regarded as one of Argentina's leading young prospects. Aston Villa's Emiliano Buendia and Roma forward Paulo Dybala were also not included.

Argentina's squad keeps 17 of the 26 players who were part of the country's World Cup-winning group in Qatar. Among the younger players selected are 21-year-olds Nicolas Paz and Valentin Barco, while Palmeiras forward Jose Manuel Lopez, who made his international debut only last year, has also been picked.

Injury concerns before tournament

Messi goes into the tournament after an injury concern in recent days. His club, Inter Miami, said this week that medical tests found muscle fatigue in his left hamstring after he went off in the 73rd minute of Miami's 6-4 win over Philadelphia on Sunday. The Major League Soccer side did not give a clear timeline for his return, although Scaloni had downplayed the seriousness of the issue earlier this week.

Centre-back Cristian Romero was also named in the squad despite a knee injury that has kept him out since last month. The Tottenham Hotspur captain has not played since being shoved into his own goalkeeper by Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey and was ruled out for the rest of the Premier League season.

World Cup schedule and squad list

The 2026 World Cup, the biggest edition of the tournament so far, will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and begins on June 11. Argentina open their campaign five days later against Algeria in Kansas City.

The squad named by Scaloni is: Goalkeepers Emiliano Martinez, Geronimo Rulli and Juan Musso; defenders Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, Leonardo Balerdi, Cristian Romero, Facundo Medina and Nicolas Tagliafico; midfielders Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo de Paul, Exequiel Palacios, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis MacAllister, Giovani Lo Celso and Valentin Barco; forwards Lionel Messi, Nicolas Paz, Thiago Almada, Nicolas Gonzalez, Julian Alvarez, Giuliano Simeone, Lautaro Martinez and Jose Manuel Lopez.