Lionel Messi will start his sixth World Cup with Argentina in two weeks. The reigning world champion leaves for the United States with six players from Atlético Madrid.
On Wednesday, June 17, Messi will become the first player ever to play in six World Cups when he plays in the first group match against Algeria. Argentina is also in the group with Austria and Jordan. It was previously known that Cristiano Ronaldo (41) will also play his sixth World Cup with Portugal, which will start the tournament against DR Congo later on June 17.
Notably absent from Argentina’s selection is former Feyenoord defender Marcos Senesi, who had an excellent season at Bournemouth. With the club from the south of England, where he leaves on a free transfer, he finished sixth in the Premier League this season. Another notable absentee is Emiliano Buendía, after a season with 11 goals in 54 matches for Aston Villa. Last week he scored beautifully in the Europa League final.
Argentinian national coach Lionel Scaloni opts for the experience of 38-year-old defender Nicolás Otamendi from Benfica at the back. Former Ajax defenders Nicolás Tagliafico and Lisandro Martínez are also present again, just like during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Argentina then won on penalties against the Dutch team in the quarter-finals.
It is striking that six of the 26 players in the Argentine selection are under contract with Atlético Madrid, which finished fourth in the Champions League this season and was defeated by Arsenal in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Eight of the 26 players are going to their first World Cup, the other eighteen names were already there at the end of 2022 when Argentina became world champion for the third time. The eight World Cup debutants are Valentín Barco (21), Nico Paz (21), Giuliano Simeone (23), Facundo Medina (27), Nicolás González (28), José López (25), Leonardo Balerdi (27) and Juan Musso (32).
In 1998, Diego Simeone and Pablo Paz participated in the World Cup in France, where Argentina lost to the Dutch team in the quarter-finals. 28 years later, their sons Giuliano and Nico join the party.
Argentina’s selection
Goalkeepers: Juan Musso (Atlético Madrid), Gerónimo Rulli (Olympique Marseille), Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa)
Defenders: Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille), Nicolás Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Facundo Medina (Olympique Marseille), Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid)
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Valentín Barco (Strasbourg), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Nico González (Atlético Madrid)
Attackers: Julián Álvarez (Atlético Madrid), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Thiago Almada (Atlético Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético Madrid), Nico Paz (Como), José López (Palmeiras), Lautaro Martínez (Inter)
