Lionel Messi will become the first men’s player to appear in six FIFA World Cups after the 38-year-old was named in Argentina’s 26-man squad for the 2026 tournament on Thursday.
The Inter Miami forward, who turns 39 during the finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, will captain the defending champions as they seek to retain the trophy won in Qatar four years ago.
Messi currently holds the record for most World Cup appearances by any player with 26 matches. He will join Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, as the only male players to feature in six editions of football’s flagship event.
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has retained 17 members of the squad that beat France on penalties in the 2022 final. Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who was named the tournament’s best goalkeeper in Qatar, is included alongside Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez and Tottenham centre-back Cristian Romero – the latter having missed the end of the Premier League season with a knee injury.
Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister and Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández are among five British-based players selected. Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez and Internazionale striker Lautaro Martínez will lead the attacking line alongside Messi.
Notable omissions include Aston Villa attacker Emiliano Buendía – whose goal in the Europa League final was voted goal of the tournament – Roma forward Paulo Dybala, and 18-year-old Real Madrid winger Franco Mastantuono. Benfica winger Gianluca Prestiani, who has one cap, was ruled out after FIFA confirmed he would serve a two-match ban for abusing Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior.
Messi was substituted during Inter Miami’s most recent Major League Soccer match on Monday, with the club citing “muscle fatigue” in his left hamstring rather than an injury. He has made 198 appearances for Argentina and would reach 200 caps if he features in both of the country’s upcoming friendlies – against Honduras in Texas on 7 June and against Iceland in Alabama two days later.
Argentina open their World Cup campaign against Algeria in Kansas City on 17 June (02:00 BST), before facing Austria (22 June, 18:00 BST) and Jordan (28 June, 02:00 BST) in Dallas.
ENDS
Argentina’s 2026 World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Juan Musso (Atlético Madrid), Gerónimo Rulli (Marseille), Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa).
Defenders: Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Facundo Medina (Marseille), Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid).
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (River Plate), Rodrigo de Paul (Inter Miami), Valentín Barco (Strasbourg), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea).
Forwards: Julián Álvarez (Atlético Madrid), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolás González (Atlético Madrid), Thiago Almada (Atlético Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético Madrid), Nico Paz (Como), José Manuel López (Palmeiras), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan).
