The 38-year-old Inter Miami forward will play in his sixth World Cup and extend his national record, while Emiliano Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez are among the 17 players returning from the team that lifted the trophy in Qatar in 2022.
Coach Lionel Scaloni retained the core of the team that won Argentina’s third World Cup, although veteran winger Angel Di Maria was not considered after retiring from international football after the 2024 Copa America.
Midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, who missed the 2022 World Cup through injury, returned for his second finals after being part of Argentina’s Russia 2018 squad without making an appearance.
Argentina also included several younger players expected to lead the team’s next generation, including Valentin Barco, Nicolas Paz and Giuliano Simeone, while strikers Jose Manuel Lopez and Thiago Almada are among those set to make their first World Cup appearances.
Local media reports said left-back Marcos Acuna, part of the 2022 title-winning squad, missed out due to fitness issues.
Argentina open their Group J campaign against Algeria on June 16 before facing Jordan and Austria.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Geronimo Rulli, Juan Musso.
Defenders: Leonardo Balerdi, Gonzalo Montiel, Nicolas Tagliafico, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Facundo Medina, Nahuel Molina.
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Valentin Barco, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Alexis MacAllister, Enzo Fernandez.
Extenders: Julian Alvarez, Lionel Messi, Nicolas Gonzalez, Thiago Almada, Giuliano Simeone, Nicolas Paz, Jose Manuel Lopez, Lautaro Martinez.
