Argentina have revealed their 26-man squad for the upcoming World Cup, with Lionel Messi included despite a recent fitness concern. The squad announcement, made late Thursday, features three players currently playing in France’s Ligue 1: Leonardo Balerdi and Facundo Medina of Olympique de Marseille, alongside goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, also with Marseille.
Valentín Barco, who recently played for Strasbourg, has also been named in the squad, with his transfer to Chelsea now confirmed as he joins the Premier League side. Nicolas Tagliafico of Olympique Lyonnais completes the contingent of players based in France. Franco Mastantuono of Real Madrid was a notable omission from the final list, replaced by José Manuel Lopez of Palmeiras.
Atlético de Madrid are the most represented club in the Argentina squad, providing six players: Juan Musso, Nahuel Molina, Thiago Almada, Nico Gonzalez, Giuliano Simeone, and Julian Álvarez. The squad blends experienced players like Messi and Tagliafico with emerging talents such as Barco, who has impressed since arriving in European football.
Argentina will begin their World Cup campaign on June 17th against Algeria, followed by matches against Austria on June 22nd and Jordan on June 28th. The inclusion of players from various leagues demonstrates the global reach of Argentinian talent, and Scaloni has assembled a squad capable of defending their World Cup title. Barco’s move to Chelsea will be closely watched as he looks to translate his international form to the Premier League.
