No place for Dybala as Messi leads Argentina's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad; Scaloni unveils the final 26

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has announced the final 26-man squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Headlined by the inclusion of talisman Lionel Messi, the defending champions are hoping to retain the title, a feat not achieved since Brazil successfully defended their crown in 1962.AS Roma midfielder Paulo Dybala and Real Madrid teenager Franco Mastantuono are two big names who did not make the cut.38-year old Lionel Messi leads an attack that also includes Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez and Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez. Alvarez recorded an impressive 25 goals and 10 assists across all competitions during this season.Messi, who is poised to play in his sixth World Cup, enters the tournament on the back of an injury scare sustained in his last match for Major League Soccer's Inter Miami. "We were watching (Messi’s) game back at the training complex when we realized he had asked to be substituted — that he wasn't feeling right," Scaloni said."The initial reports aren't too bad. Naturally, we would have preferred that nothing had happened to him at all. Now, we just have to wait and see how things develop. I imagine he’ll undergo further tests to confirm whether the situation is truly as they say." The head coach said after announcing the squad.Scaloni has placed his trust in several young players who were not part of the squad in FIFA World Cup 2022. One notable name is Valentin Barco, who enjoyed an excellent season in Europe for French club Strasbourg. He has also included Jose Manuel Lopez, a Palmeiras center-forward who provides backup options for Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez, and Nico Paz, following his strong performance at Italian side FC Como.Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who fractured a finger during last week’s victorous UEFA Europa League final while competing for Aston Villa, has also been included in the squad.Nine players including Dybala who were champions four years ago are not included in the squad. Franco Armani, Juan Foyth, German Pezzella, Marcos Acuna, Angel Di Maria, Alejandro Gómez, Guido Rodriguez, Paulo Dybala, and Angel Correa are the absentees from their winning campaign of 2022. Teenager Franco Mastantuono also didn't make the squad who had an underwhelming season for Spanish giants Real Madrid.Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso returns to the World Cup stage. After a heartbreaking injury ruled him out of the 2022 tournament, Lo Celso earned his spot for a second World Cup appearance, having previously played in the 2018 World Cup.Argentina will start their World Cup campaign against Algeria on June 16, followed by fixtures against Austria and Jordan in Group J.The three-time World champions will warm up for the tournament with friendlies against Honduras on June 6 and Iceland on June 9.Argentina squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026:Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Geronimo Rulli (Olympique de Marseille), Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid)Defenders: Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique de Marseille), Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique Lyonnais), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Facundo Medina (Olympique de Marseille), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid)Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Valentin Barco (Racing Strasbourg), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea)Forwards: Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nico Gonzalez (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Almada (Atletico Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Nico Paz (Como), Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan).