\n
Lionel Messi will appear at a sixth World Cup after being named in Argentina\u2019s 2026 World Cup squad.<\/p>\n
Messi led La Albiceleste to a third World Cup title at Qatar 2022, scoring twice in the final against France.<\/p>\n
With 26 appearances, Messi holds the current record for the most World Cup matches by any player.<\/p>\n
The 38-year-old forward\u2019s inclusion in Lionel Scaloni\u2019s squad had been in doubt after he suffered what his Inter Miami side described as \u201cmuscle fatigue\u201d during their most recent MLS match.<\/p>\n
Messi\u2019s selection means he joins Cristiano Ronaldo, his longtime rival, in appearing at a record-extending sixth global finals.<\/p>\n
Messi has made 198 appearances for Argentina and will reach the 200-mark if he plays in both of his country\u2019s friendly matches \u2013 against Honduras in Texas on Sunday, June 7 and Iceland in Alabama on June 9.<\/p>\n
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star is joined by 17 other members of that World Cup triumph, including Emiliano Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez.<\/p>\n
Midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, who missed the 2022 World Cup through injury, returned for his second finals after being part of Argentina\u2019s squad in Russia in 2018 without making an appearance.<\/p>\n
Argentina also included several younger players expected to lead the team\u2019s next generation, including Valentin Barco, Nicolas Paz and Giuliano Simeone, while forwards Jose Manuel Lopez and Thiago Almada are among those set for their \u200bfirst World Cup appearances.<\/p>\n
Local media reports said \u200cleft-back Marcos Acuna, \u2060part of the 2022 title-winning \u200bsquad, missed out because of fitness concerns.<\/p>\n
Argentina will open \u200btheir Group \u200cJ campaign against Algeria on June 16 before facing Jordan and \u2060Austria.<\/p>\n
Squad
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Geronimo Rulli, Juan Musso.<\/p>\n
Defenders: Leonardo Balerdi, \u2060Gonzalo Montiel, Nicolas Tagliafico, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Facundo Medina, Nahuel Molina.<\/p>\n
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Valentin Barco, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez.<\/p>\n
Forwards: Julian \u200bAlvarez, Lionel Messi, Nicolas Gonzalez, Thiago Almada, Giuliano Simeone, Nicolas Paz, Jose Manuel Lopez, Lautaro Martinez.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lionel Messi will appear at a sixth World Cup after being named in Argentina\u2019s 2026 World Cup squad. Messi led La Albiceleste to a third World Cup title at Qatar 2022, scoring twice in the final against France. With 26 appearances, Messi holds the current record for the most World Cup matches by any player. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7049297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[110778,88],"tags":[14024,618,110780,157517,36862,944,24479,2379],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-7049296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lionel-messi","category-news","tag-argentina","tag-cup","tag-lionel","tag-lionel-messi","tag-messi","tag-play","tag-sixth","tag-world"],"yoast_head":"\n
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