Lionel Messi has arrived in Argentina, recovering from a muscle injury, to join the national squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Ecuador. The 31-player Argentina squad, announced on August 18, features a mix of seasoned veterans like Messi and several promising young talents.
Notable call-ups include Claudio Echeverri (Manchester City), Alan Varela (Porto), and Franco Mastantuono, who recently transferred to Real Madrid. Coach Lionel Scaloni also selected Jose Manuel Lopez from Brazilian club Palmeiras for his first national team call-up.
Messi recently returned to training with Inter Miami following his muscle injury, playing a key role in the club’s 3-1 victory over LA Galaxy last week. The 38-year-old captain was previously absent from Argentina’s squad for matches against Colombia due to similar injury concerns. Marcos Acuña has also been called up to the national selection.
Argentina is set to play Venezuela on September 4 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, followed by an away match against Ecuador in Guayaquil five days later. These matches are part of the qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Here is the full Argentina squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers:
**Goalkeepers:** Emiliano Martinez, Walter Benitez, and Geronimo Rulli
**Defenders:** Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Leonardo Balerdi, Juan Foyth, Nicolas Tagliafico, Marcos Acuna, Julio Soler, and Facundo Medina
**Midfielders:** Alexis Mac Allister, Exequiel Palacios, Alan Varela, Leandro Paredes, Thiago Almada, Nicolas Paz, Rodrigo de Paul, Giovani Lo Celso, and Valentin Carboni
**Forwards:** Claudio Echeverri, Franco Mastantuono, Giuliano Simeone, Angel Correa, Julián Alvarez, Nicolas Gonzalez, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, and Jose Manuel Lopez.
