Top five players left out of Argentina's FIFA World Cup 2026 final squad ft. Dybala & Mastantuono

Scaloni has made some tough decisions in dropping some big names.

Emiliano Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez, and Lautaro Martinez are among the 17 players returning to Argentina’s squad that won the trophy in Qatar in 2022. 38-year-old Lionel Messi will participate in his sixth World Cup, extending his record.

Veteran winger Angel Di Maria was not considered after retiring from international football at the end of the 2024 Copa America, but coach Lionel Scaloni kept the backbone of the team that won Argentina’s third World Cup title.

Argentina also included several younger players, such as Valentin Barco, Nicolas Paz, and Giuliano Simeone, who are anticipated to be the team’s future leaders. Forwards Jose Manuel Lopez and Thiago Almada are among those who will participate in their first World Cup.

According to local media, left-back Marcos Acuna, who was a member of the team that won the 2022 championship, was left out due to fitness issues, although many others were also omitted. Let’s take a look below.

List of players left out of Argentina’s 2026 World Cup squad

Rank	Player	Club
5	Emiliano Buendía	Aston Villa
4	Franco Mastantuono	Real Madrid
3	Marcos Acuña	River Plate
2	Marcus Senesi	Bournemouth
1	Paulo Dybala	AS Roma

5. Emiliano Buendía

One of La Albiceleste’s more obvious absences was Emiliano Buendia. Emiliano Buendia scored a vital goal in the UEFA Europa League final to help Aston Villa defeat SC Freiburg 3-0, capping an incredible 2025–26 season on the greatest possible note.

With 11 goals and nine assists in 54 games, the playmaker was a vital starter for the Villa team that finished fourth in the Premier League.

Also Read: Argentina’s Full FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule: Dates, kick-off times & venues

4. Franco Mastantuono

Following his exclusion from Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Franco Mastantuono gained notoriety. The highly regarded young player departed River Plate to join Real Madrid in a blockbuster move on June 13, 2025, just seven days after making his debut for Argentina’s senior national team.

The fact that Real Madrid finished the season without a trophy did not help, and Mastantuono’s predicament in Spain was made more difficult by tensions in the dressing room and, most significantly, his failure to duplicate the brilliance he displayed at River Plate.

3. Marcos Acuña

Lionel Scaloni did not call up Marcos Acuña to participate in the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Argentina national team coach excluded the defender from the squad after he finished the first half of the season at River with a strained muscle.

The left-back has been battling a right hamstring strain during River Plate’s loss to Belgrano. In addition to the backup possibilities of Valentín Barco and the previously mentioned Medina, Scaloni also called up just one natural left back, Nicolás Tagliafico.

Also Read: Lionel Scaloni issues latest injury update on Lionel Messi

2. Marcos Senesi

One of La Albiceleste’s more obvious exclusions was Marcos Senesi of Bournemouth. For a historic Bournemouth team that finished sixth in the Premier League and qualified for Europe for the first time in club history, Marcos Senesi frequently wore the captain’s armband.

The reliable centre-back, who was named the Cherries’ Player of the Season, anchored the defence and contributed five assists in 39 games. It was difficult to accept his removal from the World Cup team.

1. Paulo Dybala

A number of the group that won the 2022 championship have already fallen behind. Paulo Dybala was completely left off the final list, and the head coach has addressed one of the most talked-about exclusions among those names.

Speaking to DSports, Scaloni addressed the omission directly. “Paulo, it goes without saying that he is a great player. He has come back in an exceptional way with his team, they have qualified for the Champions League with a very strong showing from him. But this is how it always is: young players emerge who contribute, there are players who have consolidated themselves in that position, they deserve an opportunity, and we have made the decision to include other players,” the coach said.

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