Top seven Argentina players to watch at FIFA World Cup 2026 ft. Lionel Messi

La Albiceleste are the defending World Champions!

Argentina are entering the FIFA World Cup 2026 as the reigning champions of the Copa America and the defending champions. After playing two finals in the last three editions, Argentina are now one of the favourites to win the World Cup.

They are led by Lionel Scaloni, who will be keen to replicate the heroics of 2022 with the South American nation. This is Lionel Messi’s last dance at the FIFA World Cup, and the Argentine players would be keen to make his farewell at the greatest stage a memorable one.

The squad looks well settled and confident, and did well in the Copa America and CONMEBOL qualifiers. Striking depth is the team’s strongest asset, with both Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez coming after an excellent domestic season.

The road to retaining top World honours is a herculean task. The last time any team managed to win back-to-back World Cups was back in 1962 and Argentina will need to get past the infamous Champions Curse and stomp their authority in North America.

In this article, we take a closer look at the seven Argentine players to keep an eye on at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026.

Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)

Even at 38, Lionel Messi is the undisputed psychological leader and captain of Argentina. This will be his sixth World Cup. He might not be the quickest sprinter in the team, but his genius lies in finding pockets of space and operating as a free-roaming playmaker in the team.

He is coming after a terrific half-season with Inter Miami after registering 19 goal contributions in 14 games in the Major League Soccer.

Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid)

His move from Manchester City to Atletico Madrid saw him evolve into one of the elite strikers in Europe, who is nothing less than a dream striker for any manager. The last World Cup saw his heroics when his brace against Croatia in the semi-finals propelled Argentina to the finals in the last edition.

He will be looking to lead the attacking front yet again and help his nation defend their world title.

Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)

The man who was infamously known for just winning trophies with Argentina is now coming into this tournament after lifting the UEFA Europa League with Aston Villa. Argentina could not have asked for someone better than Dibu Martinez between the sticks, given his current form and, most importantly, his ability to step up during big games and penalty shootouts.

Nico Paz (Como 1907)

One of the brightest talents to keep an eye on in this World Cup, Nico Paz, is coming after a brilliant season with Como in the Serie A. He had 20 goal contributions in 40 games for Como and his recent form saw him get a call-up from Scaloni. He is young, quick and can be highly explosive even in tight areas.

Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)

The Argentine centre back is coming after a difficult season with Tottenham, who somehow managed to avoid relegation on the final matchday. Romero is arguably one of the most dominating centre-backs in world football today, and his recovery speed is brilliant to block counter attacks.

Thiago Almada (Atletico Madrid)

Almada made a high-profile move from Botafogo to Atletico Madrid and in his maiden season at the Spanish top flight, he impressed. While Argentina often likes to slow games down with possession, Almada provides that immediate acceleration when the team needs to speed up transitions on the wings.

Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid)

The third Argentina player from Atletico Madrid in this list, Nahuel Molina, is a high-stamina, modern wingback capable of sprinting up and down the flank for 90 minutes. He even scored the opening goal against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

He is steady in defense and will help in ball progression from the backline.

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