The Argentine national team presented this Monday its official pre-list of 55 players for the World Cup 2026, which includes the main figures of the team, several new faces and some important absences. From this group will emerge the 26 footballers who will defend the title won in Qatar 2022.
The list prepared by Lionel Scaloni, headed by Lionel Messi and made up of references such as Julián Álvarez and Emiliano Martínez, includes several young Argentine soccer players as the main new additions.like River Plate goalkeeper Santiago Beltrán and Boca Juniors midfielder Tomás Aranda.
Among the most striking absences are the forward of the West Ham Valentín Castellanos and Roma attacker Paulo Dybala. Ángel Correa was not included either.currently in Tigres de México, nor Enzo Barrenechea, from Benfica.
Among the surprises, the defender of the Getafe Zaid Romero; the young people Lautaro Di Lollo and Milton Delgado, both from Boca Juniors; Girona attacker Claudio “Diablito” Echeverri, and Parma forward Mateo Pellegrino.
Another name that generates attention is Gianluca Prestianni, although not because of his lack of experience, but because of the two-match suspension that he will have to serve in the World Cup – if he is called up— after an incident with Brazilian Vinícius Jr. during a Champions League match between Benfica and Real Madrid.
The base of the team that played in the South American qualifiers—and which includes several world champions—are joined by players with lower participation, but who are looking for a place on the final list, such as Franco Mastantuono, from Real Madrid, and Alejandro Garnacho, from Chelsea.
The main doubts are in defense, where Scaloni is still seeking to consolidate variants both on the sides and in the central defense, which explains the large number of players called up in that area.
Argentina will compete in the World Cup The United States, Mexico and Canada in group J, where they will face Algeria, Austria and Jordan.
Complete pre-list of 55 players
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa), Gerónimo Rulli (Marseille), Juan Musso (Atlético de Madrid), Walter Benítez (Crystal Palace), Facundo Cambeses (Racing Club) and Santiago Beltrán (River Plate).
Defenses: Agustín Giay (Palmeiras), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Nahuel Molina (Atlético de Madrid), Nicolás Capaldo (Hamburg), Kevin Mac Allister (Union Saint-Gilloise), Lucas Martínez Quarta (River Plate), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Germán Pezzella (River Plate), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Lautaro Di Lollo (Boca Juniors), Zaid Romero (Getafe), Facundo Medina (Marseille), Marcos Acuña (River Plate), Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon) and Gabriel Rojas (Racing Club).
Midfielders: Máximo Perrone (Como), Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors), Guido Rodríguez (Valencia), Aníbal Moreno (River Plate), Milton Delgado (Boca Juniors), Alan Varela (Porto), Ezequiel Fernández (Bayer Leverkusen), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Nicolás Domínguez (Nottingham Forest), Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa), Valentín Barco (Strasbourg), Thiago Almada (Atlético de Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético de Madrid), Matías Soulé (Roma), Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica), Tomás Aranda (Boca Juniors), Nicolás González (Atlético de Madrid), Nicolás Paz (Como) and Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid).
Fronts: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Claudio Echeverri (Girona), Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea), Santiago Castro (Bologna), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), José Manuel López (Palmeiras), Julián Álvarez (Atlético de Madrid) and Mateo Pellegrino (Parma).