Argentina will participate in the 2026 World Cup with a team that is almost unchanged compared to the squad that won the championship in Qatar 4 years ago.
The reigning world champion still maintains incredible stability. Among the players brought to North America by coach Lionel Scaloni, up to 17 people have participated in the journey to conquer the 2022 World Cup.
Among the 9 players who were present in Qatar but were not called up this time, Juan Foyth is the only one under 30 years old. This shows that Argentina's transition process largely takes place according to the natural law of time.
Meanwhile, names like Guido Rodriguez, Alejandro Gomez or Paulo Dybala are gradually being removed from Scaloni's plans. Dybala himself has never really found a suitable role in the 48-year-old coach's system.
There is only one absence that does not stem from professional decisions. At the age of 38, Angel Di Maria is still fully capable of contributing to the national team if he does not decide to retire from his international career after winning the 2024 Copa America championship.
The gap left by Di Maria is still a problem with no perfect solution. Not only is he a player with a rare ability to create breakthroughs, Di Maria is also always ready to sacrifice his ego to serve the team and often shines in big matches.
Scaloni is still looking for a player who can bring similar qualities. At the beginning of the post-Qatar cycle, Alejandro Garnacho was expected to take on that role. However, the development of this winger has not met expectations. Meanwhile, Giuliano Simeone is now emerging as a more reliable option.
However, young faces like Valentin Barco or Nico Paz still bring many expectations. Barco possesses a surprisingly rich playing style, capable of operating in many positions in attack and midfield. Meanwhile, Paz is considered one of the brightest talents of Argentine football today.
Perhaps the time for Paz to truly explode will come after the Lionel Messi era, because his playing style is not easy to integrate with the current squad. However, this young player's ability to make a difference can completely become a powerful weapon from the bench.
Argentina also possesses one of the most quality midfields in the tournament. This is probably the area that helps Scaloni feel most secure.
The return of Lo Celso brings more depth to the squad, while Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez have matured remarkably since the 2022 World Cup. Thanks to that, Argentina has more rotation options and tactical adjustments compared to 4 years ago.
In attack, Julian Alvarez is currently considered an important factor no less than Messi. The Atletico Madrid striker can take on many different roles, from pairing with Messi, acting as a true number 9 to going deep to support the organization of the play.
However, there are still questions related to Alvarez's fitness after a long season, as well as transfer rumors surrounding his future.
Overall, stability is Argentina's greatest strength. Scaloni's team not only possesses a clear identity but also has many different tactical variations. The players understand their roles accurately and know how to operate the system that has brought success over the years.
However, the defense is still the area that worries fans. At the 2022 World Cup, Argentina has repeatedly encountered difficulties against Australia, the Netherlands and especially France in the final. If it were not for Emiliano Martinez's miraculous save in the last minute of extra time, the outcome could have been very different. It is worth mentioning that since then, Argentina has not found truly convincing new solutions for the defense.
