On Monday, Argentina’s national team announced a new 31-man squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Ecuador. The team will be led by Lionel Messi.
In addition to captain Messi, the team includes a number of young Argentine stars, such as Manchester City attacker Claudio Echeverri, Porto midfielder Alan Varela, and Franco Mastantuono, who just signed with Real Madrid.
Coach Lionel Scaloni also called up Jose Manuel Lopez, a striker from the Brazilian club Palmeiras, for the first time.
On September 4, Argentina will play Venezuela at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. Five days later, they will travel to Guayaquil to play Ecuador.
The “Albiceleste” are already in the World Cup and have 35 points, which puts them at the top of the qualifications. Ecuador is in second position with 25 points, and Brazil is in third place with 20 points.
Argentina squad:
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Walter Benitez and Geronimo Rulli
Defenders: Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Leonardo Balerdi, Juan Foyth, Nicolas Tagliafico, Marcos Acuna, Julio Soler and Facundo Medina
Midfielders: Alexis Mac Allister, Exequiel Palacios, Alan Varela, Leandro Paredes, Thiago Almada, Nicolas Paz, Rodrigo De Paul, Giovani Lo Celso, and Valentin Carboni
Forwards: Claudio Echeverri, Franco Mastantuono, Giuliano Simeone, Angel Correa, Julián Alvarez, Nicolas Gonzalez, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez and Jose Manuel Lopez
