Argentine selector Lionel Scaloni has announced a preliminary 55-man squad for the 2026 World Cup in North America. The final 26-player roster must be submitted by June 2nd. Scaloni has included most of the team's key players, led by Lionel Messi. However, a notable absence is Paulo Dybala of Roma. The 32-year-old forward, who was part of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad, has been plagued by injuries this season, playing only sporadically and scoring just three goals. Dybala’s exclusion is not a surprise, as he has not been called up since 2024.

The list also reflects Scaloni's intention to start transitioning to a new generation of players. Youngsters Alejandro Garnacho, Franco Mastantuono, and Claudio Yccheverri have been included. Scaloni has leaned heavily on players from the Argentine league, particularly from the traditional powerhouses River Plate and Boca Juniors. One surprising inclusion is the young goalkeeper Santiago Beltrean.

According to FIFA rules, if there is a need to replace a player in the official squad due to injury, the substitute must come from this expanded list. This is why Scaloni has ensured there are sufficient players across all positions.

Argentina's Squad:

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Gerónimo Rulli (Marseille), Walter Benitez (PSV), Juan Musso (Atlético Madrid), Facundo Cambeses (Racing), Santiago Beltrean (River Plate)

Defenders: Agustín Guay (Palmeiras), Nahuel Molina (Atlético), Gonzalo Montiel, Herman Pessela (both River Plate), Nicolás Capaldo (Hamburger), Kevin MacAllister (Union), Lucas Martínez (River Plate), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Lauro Di Lolo (Boca Juniors), Zaid Romero (Hellas Verona), Facundo Medina (Lille/Marseille), Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon), Marcos Acuña (River Plate), Gabriel Rojas (Racing)

Midfielders: Maximiliano Pereyra (Como), Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors), Guido Rodríguez (Valencia), Aníbal Moreno (River Plate), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Rodrigo de Paul (Atlético), Ezequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Alexis MacAllister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Betis), Nico Pas (Como), Nicolás Dominguez (Nottingham), Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea), Nicolás González (Atlético), Claudio Yccheverri (Girona), Milton Delgado (Boca Juniors), Alan Varela (Porto), Ezequiel Fernández (Bayer Leverkusen), Emilio Buonandio (Aston Villa), Valentín Barco (Strasbourg), Thiago Almada (Atlético), Tomás Aranda (Boca Juniors)

Forwards: Julián Álvarez (Atlético Madrid), Nicolás González (Atlético Madrid), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Lautaro Martínez (Inter), Santiago Castro (Bologna), Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid), Gianluca Prestiani (Benfica), Matías Sule (Roma), Santiago Castro (Bologna), José Manuel López (Palmeiras), Mateo Pellegriño (Parma)