Lionel Messi has returned to Argentina for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers, joining the national team after recovering from a muscle injury.
The 31-man Argentina squad, announced on August 18, blends experienced stars like Messi with promising young talents. Notable young players include Claudio Echeverri (Manchester City), Alan Varela (Porto), and Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid). Coach Lionel Scaloni also called up Jose Manuel Lopez from Brazilian club Palmeiras for his first national team appearance.
Messi recently returned to training with Inter Miami after his muscle injury and played last week, helping his club secure a 3-1 victory over LA Galaxy. The 38-year-old captain was not named in Argentina’s squad for matches against Colombia in June due to a similar injury.
Argentina will face Venezuela on September 4 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, before traveling to Guayaquil to play Ecuador five days later. These matches are part of Argentina’s campaign to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The full Argentina squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers:
**Goalkeepers:** Emiliano Martinez, Walter Benitez, Geronimo Rulli
**Defenders:** Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Leonardo Balerdi, Juan Foyth, Nicolas Tagliafico, Marcos Acuna, Julio Soler, Facundo Medina
**Midfielders:** Alexis Mac Allister, Exequiel Palacios, Alan Varela, Leandro Paredes, Thiago Almada, Nicolas Paz, Rodrigo de Paul, Giovani Lo Celso, Valentin Carboni
**Forwards:** Claudio Echeverri, Franco Mastantuono, Giuliano Simeone, Angel Correa, Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Gonzalez, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Jose Manuel Lopez
