🇦🇷 Argentina

Playing style

Balanced and cohesive with elite individual quality, a rock-solid defense, and Messi's orchestration in attack.

Qualifying summary

Qualified through CONMEBOL qualifiers as defending world champions, finishing near the top of the South American table.

Key players (WC26 picks)

• Lionel MessiFWD · Inter Miami
• Julian AlvarezFWD · Atletico Madrid
• Enzo FernandezMID · Chelsea

Odds & group outlook

Injury watch

• Lionel MessiDoubtful

  Undisclosed injury announced by Inter Miami

  Expected return: TBD

World Cup head-to-head

• vs Brazil2W 1D 1L (4 matches)

  The South American superclásico at World Cups: Brazil lead 2-1 with one draw. Argentina's lone win was a tense 1-0 in the 1990 Round of 16.

• vs England2W 0D 2L (4 matches)

  One of football's fiercest World Cup rivalries, perfectly split at 2-2. Features Maradona's Hand of God (1986) and Beckham's red card (1998).

• vs France1W 0D 3L (4 matches)

  A modern-day World Cup epic. Argentina lead 3-1 overall, crowned by the legendary 2022 final — a 3-3 draw with Argentina winning on penalties after Mbappé's hat trick.

• vs Germany4W 0D 1L (5 matches)

  A defining World Cup rivalry with three finals (1986, 1990, 2014). Germany lead 4-1 overall, but Argentina's 1986 triumph in Mexico City remains iconic.

• vs Netherlands2W 0D 3L (5 matches)

  A dramatic World Cup rivalry featuring the 1978 final and three penalty shootouts. Argentina lead 3-2 despite being outscored overall.

• vs Uruguay1W 0D 0L (1 matches)

  The Río de la Plata derby has only met once at a World Cup — the very first final in 1930, when Uruguay beat Argentina 4-2 in Montevideo.