Argentina have included captain Lionel Messi in their 26-man squad for this summer’s World Cup, placing the veteran forward on course to become the first player in history to feature in six editions of the tournament.
The 38-year-old will lead the defending champions at the competition hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico after being named in the squad released on Thursday by coach Lionel Scaloni.
Messi’s selection had been uncertain after he was substituted during Inter Miami CF’s MLS match against Philadelphia Union last week.
The club later confirmed he was dealing with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring, linked to overload, with his recovery expected to be monitored on a day-to-day basis.
Scaloni acknowledged the concerns around the player’s fitness but said the priority was ensuring full recovery before the tournament begins.
“The initial updates aren’t entirely bad. Now, we must wait to see how he evolves, pending the results of further tests,” Scaloni said.
“We all wished Messi could have joined the squad fully fit, but that isn’t the reality.”
“It’s not just him; many players have yet to fully recover from injuries. Our main priority now is their rehabilitation to ensure they reach the World Cup in peak condition.”
Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both expected to make history as the first men’s players to appear in six World Cups.
Argentina will begin their title defence on June 16 in Kansas City against Algeria and will also face Austria and Jordan in the group stage.
The team is also scheduled to play warm-up matches against Honduras and Iceland.
Scaloni retained 17 members of the squad that won the previous World Cup as Argentina aim to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the title.
Key inclusions include Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, and Julián Álvarez, while goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was also named despite a finger injury sustained during Aston Villa’s Europa League final victory over Freiburg.
Defender Cristian Romero was included as he continues recovery from a knee ligament issue, while full-backs Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel also made the list despite recent fitness concerns.
Several notable players, including Franco Mastantuono, Marcos Senesi, and Emiliano Buendía, were left out of the squad.
Argentina will be hoping Messi’s fitness holds up as they prepare for what could be another historic World Cup campaign.
