Three World Cup titles. Two Copa Americas in the last four years. Argentina arrive at 2026 not as hopeful contenders but as the standard everyone else is chasing — and at 38, Lionel Messi is still the most dangerous player in CONMEBOL qualifying, leading all scorers with eight goals.
That number matters. It's not sentiment or star power keeping Messi in the conversation — it's output. And for a player supposedly in decline, eight goals across qualifying is a firm argument for one more deep run.
Group J: manageable, not a walkover
Argentina landed in Group J alongside Austria, Algeria, and debutants Jordan. Austria and Algeria both sit inside the top 30 of FIFA's world rankings, so this isn't the kind of group you sleepwalk through. Jordan are the wild card — unknown quantities at their first World Cup can cause chaos in early group stages, as Saudi Arabia demonstrated against these exact opponents in Qatar.
Argentina should advance. But backing them to top the group without sweating it might be optimistic given they opened 2022 with a loss to Saudi Arabia before righting the ship. Scaloni's side know how to recover. Punters pricing in a smooth group exit should factor in that early vulnerability.
The squad itself is formidable top to bottom. Emiliano Martinez — Yashin Trophy winner in both 2023 and 2024 — is as good a goalkeeper as exists in world football right now. Cristian Romero anchors a defense that has steadied considerably, with Lisandro Martinez returning from injury adding genuine quality. The midfield axis of Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez gives Argentina control and creativity in equal measure.
The attack is deeper than just Messi
Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez — both in their primes, both prolific at club level — form one of the more dangerous forward pairings in the tournament. Argentina's biggest tactical risk is leaning too heavily on Messi, allowing defenses to funnel resources toward neutralizing him while Alvarez and Lautaro drift into secondary roles.
Nico Paz had a breakout season at Como and figures to add a creative dimension off the bench, while Thiago Almada chipped in three qualifying goals and gives Scaloni attacking flexibility. This isn't a one-man team, even if the cameras will suggest otherwise.
Scaloni, meanwhile, has earned the right to be taken seriously as a coach — not just as the man lucky enough to have Messi. His record of 67 wins, nine losses, and 18 draws since taking charge includes three major tournament titles. He managed an identity for this squad beyond its superstar. That's a harder job than it looks.
- Star players: Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez
- One to watch: Nico Paz — his club form earned him a spot; his World Cup form could earn him a starting berth
- Key stat: Argentina won 12 of 18 CONMEBOL qualifiers, sealing their spot three months before second-placed Ecuador
- World Cup record: 47 wins, 14 losses, 24 draws across 19 tournaments
If Argentina win this tournament, they join Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962) as the only nations to retain the World Cup. That's the weight of history sitting on Scaloni's shoulders. His squad has enough to carry it.
