World Cup '26

Nation dossier · Group J · Out in the Final

Argentina

Argentine Republic

Group JCONMEBOLEliminated · Final

Latest Spain 10 Argentina · Final

Knocked out by Spain · Match 104

Title probability

49.8%

as of 2026-07-20

Overview

Argentina arrive as reigning world champions, having lifted the 2022 trophy in Qatar and added the 2024 Copa América for good measure. Under Lionel Scaloni, La Albiceleste have built a ruthlessly cohesive, mentally bulletproof squad that knows how to win the big moments.

The headline remains Lionel Messi, likely playing his final World Cup, surrounded by a maturing core of Enzo Fernández, Julián Álvarez and Alexis Mac Allister. Form has been excellent through CONMEBOL qualifying, where they cruised at the top of the table.

The ambition is unambiguous: back-to-back world titles, a feat no nation has achieved since Brazil in 1962.

Capital

Buenos Aires

Population

46,337,520

Confederation

CONMEBOL

FIFA code

ARG

World
Region

From Wikipedia

Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern cone of South America. It covers an area of 2,780,085 km2 (1,073,397 mi2), making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourth-largest country in the Americas, and the eighth-largest country in the world. Argentina shares the bulk of the Southern Cone…

Source: Wikipedia →

Squad

Goalkeepers3
  • 1

    Juan Musso

    Atlético Madrid

  • 12

    Géronimo Rulli

    Marseille · Reliable shot-stopping deputy

    7caps
  • 23

    Emiliano Martínez

    Aston Villa · 2022 World Cup Golden Glove winner

    48caps
Defenders9
  • 2

    Leonardo Balerdi

    Marseille

  • 3

    Nicolás Tagliafico

    Lyon · 2022 World Cup winner

    62caps
  • 4

    Gonzalo Montiel

    River Plate · Scored winning 2022 final penalty

    40caps
  • 6

    Lisandro Martínez

    Manchester United · 2022 World Cup winner

    35caps
  • 8

    Valentin Barco

    Strasbourg · Young left-back

  • 13

    Christian Romero

    Tottenham Hotspur · First-choice centre-back

  • 19

    Nicolás Otamendi

    Benfica · Veteran 2022 World Cup winner

    125caps
  • 25

    Facundo Medina

    Marseille

  • 26

    Nahuel Molina

    Atlético Madrid · Overlapping right-back energy

    45caps
Midfielders8
  • 5

    Leandro Paredes

    Boca Juniors · Range-passing midfield anchor

    65caps
  • 7

    Rodrigo de Paul

    Inter Miami · Midfield engine, 2022 winner

    72caps
  • 11

    Giovani Lo Celso

    Real Betis · Press-resistant attacking midfielder

    40caps
  • 14

    Exequiel Palacios

    Bayer Leverkusen · Box-to-box dynamism

    35caps
  • 16

    Thiago Almada

    Atlético Madrid

  • 18

    Nico Paz

    Como · Emerging young playmaker

    5caps
  • 20

    Alexis Mac Allister

    Liverpool · 2022 World Cup winner

    40caps
  • 24

    Enzo Fernández

    Chelsea · 2022 Best Young Player award

    42caps
Forwards6
  • 9

    Julián Álvarez

    Atlético Madrid · 2022 World Cup winner

    40caps
  • 10

    Lionel Messi

    Inter Miami · Captain, record sixth World Cup

    191caps
  • 15

    Nicolás González

    Juventus

  • 17

    Giuliano Simeone

    Atlético Madrid

  • 21

    José Manuel López

    Palmeiras

  • 22

    Lautaro Martínez

    Inter Milan · Prolific striker, 2022 winner

    68caps

Model

as of 2026-07-20
Champion49.8%
Reach final100.0%
Semi-final100.0%
Quarter-final100.0%
Round of 16100.0%
Advance from group100.0%

Exp. points

9.00

Proj. finish

1.5

Seed Elo

2080

Title-probability trajectory

Champion chance across the last 14 snapshots

Matches

History

  1. 1930

    Runners-up

  2. 🏆

    1978

    Champions

  3. 🏆

    1986

    Champions

  4. 1990

    Runners-up

  5. 2014

    Runners-up

  6. 🏆

    2022

    Champions

Culture

Football culture

Football here is operatic, tribal and deeply emotional, with the Boca–River *Superclásico* among the fiercest rivalries on earth. Supporters sing for ninety minutes and treat their idols as folk saints. The 2022 triumph sparked one of the largest street celebrations in human history.

Did you know

  • Lionel Messi is Argentina's all-time top scorer and most-capped player.
  • The 2022 final win over France is hailed as one of the greatest matches ever.
  • Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' and 'Goal of the Century' came in the same 1986 match.
  • Argentine fans created a viral chant, 'Muchachos', that became a national anthem of joy.
  • Argentina hosted and won its first World Cup title on home soil in 1978.