Argentina are the defending world champions. They won in Qatar in 2022 in the most dramatic final in tournament history, surviving a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick to win on penalties. The core of that squad is back, most of them in the prime years of their careers. Lionel Messi, in what will almost certainly be his final World Cup, is the emotional heartbeat of a team that does not need him to function, but becomes something transcendent when he does.
Here is Argentina’s strongest possible starting eleven, the lineup Lionel Scaloni will most likely field in the knockout rounds.
Formation: 4-3-3
Argentina are expected to build on their 2022 title-winning core, with Lionel Messi still the focal point if he remains fit and available. The spine from Qatar, Martinez, Romero, De Paul, Enzo, Mac Allister, Lautaro is still in their prime years, which makes continuity the most likely approach. Scaloni has used a 4-3-3 throughout the cycle, with Messi drifting inside from the right, Lautaro leading the line, and Alvarez offering pressing and movement from the left.
Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez
Club: Aston Villa
The best penalty-saving goalkeeper in the world. Martinez is the player most likely to win Argentina a knockout game single-handedly, his reading of penalty takers, his psychological intimidation in shootouts, and his shot-stopping in critical moments have saved Argentina multiple times across the 2022 cycle. He led Aston Villa to the Europa League title this season, playing the final with a fractured finger. He has confirmed he will be fit in time for Argentina’s opener on June 16.
Right-Back: Nahuel Molina
Club: Atletico Madrid
Molina’s combination of defensive solidity and attacking contribution from the right side makes him Scaloni’s preferred option when fit. His overlapping runs create additional options for Messi and De Paul in wide areas, and his delivery from the byline creates chances that no other Argentine full-back can provide. A muscle injury is being managed carefully ahead of the tournament but he is expected to be available.
Right Centre-Back: Cristian Romero
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
The most combative centre-back in international football. Romero’s aerial dominance, his aggressive last-ditch defending, and his ability to organise the defensive line around him make him one of the first names on Scaloni’s team sheet. He is recovering from a knee ligament issue but is expected to be fit for the knockout rounds. Alongside Lisandro Martinez, he forms the most aggressive defensive partnership at the tournament.
Left Centre-Back: Lisandro Martinez
Club: Manchester United
The pressing intensity and ball-recovery aggression that Martinez brings to Argentina’s defensive line is unmatched by any other defender in their squad. His ability to win the ball high up the pitch and immediately transition into attack gives Argentina’s midfield a head start on opposition teams. His partnership with Romero, built over multiple seasons together in the national team is one of the most chemically bonded defensive pairings at the tournament.
Left-Back: Nicolas Tagliafico
Club: Lyon
The reliable left-back who has provided consistency in Argentina’s defensive unit across the entire 2022 cycle. Tagliafico’s defensive discipline and his intelligence in positioning protect the space behind Julian Alvarez on the left, while his occasional forward runs provide width when Argentina build attacks through that side. With Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuna as alternatives, Scaloni has depth at left-back if needed.
Right Central Midfielder: Rodrigo De Paul
Club: Atletico Madrid
De Paul is the engine that drives Argentina’s midfield. His intensity, his willingness to run beyond the pressing line, and his ability to win physical battles in the middle of the park give Argentina a gritty competitive quality that their more technically gifted players cannot provide alone. He is Messi’s closest ally in midfield, the player who works to create the space that Messi exploits.
Central Midfielder: Alexis Mac Allister
Club: Liverpool
The most complete central midfielder in Argentina’s squad. Mac Allister’s intelligence in possession, his ability to press at a Premier League tempo, and his late arriving goal threat from midfield make him the player who bridges Argentina’s defensive and attacking units most effectively. He was central to Liverpool’s Premier League title-winning season and arrives at the World Cup in the form of his career.
Left Central Midfielder: Enzo Fernandez
Club: Chelsea
The 2022 World Cup Young Player of the Tournament is now a fully established senior international. Enzo’s vision from deep, his ability to carry the ball through midfield lines, and his passing range, both short combinations and long diagonal switches give Argentina a creative dimension that their defensive midfielders cannot provide. He and Mac Allister form the most intelligent midfield partnership in South American football.
Right Winger: Lionel Messi
Club: Inter Miami
The greatest player in the history of football, at his last World Cup. Messi no longer operates as a traditional right winger, he drifts infield to find the spaces between lines, operates as a false winger who draws defenders out of position, and delivers the pass or the free kick that changes a game in a single second. Messi finished just behind Mbappe in the 2022 Golden Boot race, netting seven goals. A hamstring concern must be carefully managed, but a fit Messi at a World Cup on home continent, in his final tournament, is one of sport’s most powerful forces.
Striker: Lautaro Martinez
Club: Inter Milan
Argentina’s most consistent scorer across the post-2022 cycle. Lautaro’s movement inside the box, his first touch under pressure, and his ability to convert half-chances make him the most dangerous penalty box striker in South American football. He scored five goals at the 2024 Copa America including the winning goal in the final. He is priced at +2500 to win the Golden Boot, odds that significantly undervalue his goal-scoring threat if Argentina go deep.
Left Winger: Julian Alvarez
Club: Atletico Madrid
The player who makes Argentina’s front three function as a unit rather than three individuals. Alvarez’s relentless pressing, his intelligent runs to create space for Messi and Lautaro, and his clinical finishing in big moments make him the most complete forward option in Argentina’s squad. He scored four goals at the 2022 World Cup. He arrives at this tournament in the best form of his career after an outstanding season at Atletico Madrid.
Key Tactical Points
Argentina’s strength in this system is their defensive compactness combined with the individual creativity of their front three. They sit organised and hard-working in shape, then release Messi and Alvarez in transition at pace, a combination that has undone elite opposition repeatedly across the 2022 cycle. The midfield trio of De Paul, Mac Allister, and Enzo provides the work rate to both protect the defence and supply the forwards.
The primary vulnerability remains the high defensive line, France exposed it in the 2022 final. Any opponent with genuine pace in behind will target the channel between Romero and Tagliafico on the left. Scaloni will need to manage this through positioning and pressing triggers rather than personnel changes.
The injury concerns are real but manageable. Scaloni has been here before with injury crises ahead of tournaments. His man-management and his ability to integrate recovering players carefully across the group stage give Argentina the best chance of arriving at the knockout rounds with their strongest XI available.
The bottom line: Argentina’s strongest XI is the most tournament-tested, psychologically resilient lineup in the draw. They have won the hardest games in the hardest moments before. With Messi fit and the squad at full strength, they are capable of defending their title. History says it cannot be done. This squad has beaten history before.
Sources: FIFA World Cup News, Covers, ESPN
