Nicolas Otamendi and Lionel Messi headline Argentina's squad for World Cup

[p]Led by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a], who is heading to his sixth and final World Cup, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a]’s 26-man squad includes [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/otamendi-nicolas/KSBVnX8R/"]Nicolas Otamendi[/a], the center-back who bid farewell to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/benfica/zBkyuyRI/"]Benfica[/a] after six seasons with the Eagles and is now on his way to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/river-plate/EVqSBe2f/"]River Plate[/a].[/p][embed guid="02921863-1e51-47b4-a43f-1fd1fb01d87c" url="https://x.com/Argentina/status/2060120562366648376" social-type="twitter" /][p]On the other hand, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/prestianni-gianluca/C2bbqoRj/"]Gianluca Prestianni[/a], the 20-year-old winger from Benfica who already has one international cap, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/varela-alan/0fZ4tEA5/"]Alan Varela[/a], the 24-year-old midfielder from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-porto/S2NmScGp/"]FC Porto[/a] with two senior call-ups, both part of the initial 55-man provisional squad, were left out of the final list.[/p][p]If he had been selected, Prestianni would have had to serve a suspension for the first two matches of the tournament due to homophobic conduct towards [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vinicius-junior/CbwQ4Mws/"]Vinicius Junior[/a] of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a] during a Champions League match in February at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.[/p][p]Compared to the 2022 World Cup, Scaloni has kept most of the team’s core, such as goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-emiliano/ziCcc5jM/"]Emiliano Martinez[/a], defenders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/molina-nahuel/M3TzoLot/"]Nahuel Molina[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/romero-cristian/jBZTWXMn/"]Cristian Romero[/a], Otamendi, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tagliafico-nicolas/jgaGiVOl/"]Nicolas Tagliafico[/a], midfielders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-paul-rodrigo/AZ6TTjDC/"]Rodrigo de Paul[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-enzo/nZnbEVWP/"]Enzo Fernandez[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mac-allister-alexis/fDPhMB8M/"]Alexis Mac Allister[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paredes-leandro/lbNnSBiA/"]Leandro Paredes[/a], and forwards [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-lisandro/GIzJAqQs/"]Lisandro Martinez[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alvarez-julian/bBHauDIC/"]Julian Alvarez[/a], and Messi.[/p][p]With some new faces, Scaloni has also called up young players like [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paz-martinez-nicolas/GG6EYRT0/"]Nico Paz[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barco-valentin/MXX0tUs3/"]Valentin Barco[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/simeone-giuliano/IJTJu41i/"]Giuliano Simeone[/a], while Mantantuono from Real Madrid is notably absent.[/p][embed guid="87020213-a253-4948-89f5-3c62637e1d27" url="https://x.com/Argentina/status/2060115161218724026" social-type="twitter" /][p]Argentina will face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/algeria/nc87N1BR/"]Algeria[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/austria/naHiWdnt/"]Austria[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/jordan/vNcmJoU2/"]Jordan[/a] in Group J of the 2026 World Cup, which will take place from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.[/p][h2]Argentina squad list:[/h2][p][b]Goalkeepers:[/b] Emiliano Martinez ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Aston Villa[/a]), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rulli-geronimo/rcbM0Dd8/"]Geronimo Rulli[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/marseille/SblU3Hee/"]Marseille[/a]), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/musso-juan/zB5O8dXn/"]Juan Musso[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atletico de Madrid[/a]);[/p][p][b]Defenders: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/montiel-gonzalo/rN9tdN16/"]Gonzalo Montiel[/a] (River Plate), Nahuel Molina (Atletico de Madrid), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Cristian Romero ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tottenham/UDg08Ohm/"]Tottenham[/a]), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/balerdi-leonardo/OYrb8EBS/"]Leonardo Balerdi[/a] (Marseille), Lisandro Martinez ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]Manchester United[/a]), Nicolas Tagliafico ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lyon/2akflumR/"]Lyon[/a]), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medina-facundo/tEuOUQT3/"]Facundo Medina[/a] (Marseille);[/p][p][b]Midfielders: [/b]Valentin Barco ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/strasbourg/nP6UzIU1/"]Strasbourg[/a]), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lo-celso-giovani/UZeyLfKI/"]Giovani Lo Celso[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/betis/vJbTeCGP/"]Real Betis[/a]), Nico Paz ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/comoros/QLUC9wv3/"]Como[/a]), Enzo Fernandez ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a]), Leandro Paredes ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boca-juniors/hMrWAFH0/"]Boca Juniors[/a]), Alexis Mac Allister ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a]), Rodrigo De Paul ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter-miami/0AheRyBg/"]Inter Miami[/a]), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/palacios-exequiel/xEflXBhr/"]Exequiel Palacios[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayer-leverkusen/4jcj2zMd/"]Bayer Leverkusen[/a]), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gonzalez-nicolas-ivan/filNjPIq/"]Nicolas Gonzalez[/a] (Atletico de Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico de Madrid), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/almada-thiago/CSKGShgi/"]Thiago Almada[/a] (Atletico de Madrid);[/p][p][b]Forwards: [/b]Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Julian Alvarez (Atletico de Madrid), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-lautaro/QHk1CXUh/"]Lautaro Martinez[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/Iw7eKK25/"]Inter Milan[/a]), and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lopez-flaco/8bFk0j2D/"]Flaco Lopez[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/palmeiras/hMn9FTbH/"]Palmeiras[/a]).[/p]