Messi's Last Dance: Argentina's 2026 World Cup Squad Predicted
Defending champions. Messi at 38. Scaloni's defence of the title. Our predicted Argentina 26 and XI for the Algeria opener, plus the scoreline.
The only team to win back-to-back World Cups was Italy. 1934. 1938. Vittorio Pozzo managed both. Nobody has done it since. Scaloni's Argentina have a chance to join that company — and the one thing standing between them and history might be a 38-year-old man's left knee.
Messi hasn't said this is his last tournament. But he hasn't said it isn't. That ambiguity is the entire Argentina story heading into the summer.
Scaloni is trying to win back-to-back. Messi is part of it — as a super-sub if not a full starter. We've made our calls on both.
GK: Dibu Martínez Starts. No Debate.
Emiliano Martínez saved three penalties in the 2022 final shootout. He kept Argentina in the Copa America. He's the best goalkeeper in the world at deciding penalty shootouts and he knows it — which is either a quality or a problem depending on whether you find his mind games charming.
He starts. He'll be first choice as long as he's available. The backup question behind him is interesting — Franco Armani's experience makes him the likely second, but this is Dibu's tournament.
The Defensive Core: Old And Excellent
Cristian Romero is the best centre-back in the squad and one of the best in the world right now. Commanding, aggressive, reads danger early. He anchors the defence.
Otamendi is 38 years old. He was 34 at Qatar and he was excellent. He will be 38 here and we are including him anyway because Scaloni has never dropped him when fit, and Scaloni has won everything. When the manager who has won four trophies in three years tells you a 38-year-old centre-back is good enough — you listen.
Is it a risk? Of course. But so is dropping the man who hasn't cost you a tournament yet.
Lisandro Martínez at centre-back or left-back provides cover and quality. Nahuel Molina and Marcos Acuña complete the defensive picture. This is an experienced back line. "Too old" is what people said before Qatar too.
Midfield: The Generation Gap Is Real
Here's the honest assessment: the midfield