Argentina look like 2022 again. Can Lionel Messi and the old guard win?

While having the same core may have its benefits in terms of continuity and experience, the counterpoint could be that all key players are almost four years older. Only three players in the current contingent are below 25 – all World Cup debutants – and the heaviness in the legs may just become a factor if Argentina go deep.

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Alejandro Garnacho is a prominent absentee, but it’s evident that head coach Lionel Scaloni has gone for reliability over flair.

Another youngster that didn’t make it was Real Madrid’s Franco Mastantuono. His age – 18 – may be a reason for his omission, but he impressed when given the chance as the youngest international debutant for La Albiceleste and seemingly developed a good understanding with Lionel Messi.

Support cast

The Argentine narrative at the 2026 World Cup will doubtless revolve around Messi. But even in Qatar, their fortunes improved only when the others stepped up to the mark. The opening-match loss to Saudi Arabia saw every attacking move going through Messi, which made their forays predictable, especially when they were left chasing the game.

The likes of Julian Alvarez, 26, and Lautaro Martinez, 28, have already tasted World Cup glory and can be expected to take centre stage.

The squad also includes a famous surname. Giuliano Simeone plays for his father, Diego, at Atletico Madrid, but the 23-year-old can’t be dismissed as a nepo baby. He has the same work rate, engine and attitude. It remains to be seen how Scaloni uses these attributes.

Julian Alvarez will be a key figure in Argentina team at FIFA World Cup 2026.(Reuters)

Given the fact that the Argentine head coach has put experience and track record at a premium, a 21-year-old has to be pretty special to make the cut. Como’s Nico Paz is just that, so much so that Real Madrid are actively considering activating the buy-back clause. He is described as an attacking midfielder, and most of his club’s attacking moves go through him.

Valentin Barco, another 21-year-old, is a versatile performer and can play as a midfielder as well as a left-back for Strasbourg in the French Ligue 1. He can unlock tight spaces and is proficient in one-on-one dribbling, with a vision for a killer pass. His dead-ball skills are nothing to scoff at, either, but he is prone to giving the ball away on occasion. Nahuel Molina may be the safer option.

The team’s core is tried and tested. Messi can still be expected to produce a moment of magic, unlock a tight game with a killer pass or simply draw defenders towards him to create space for teammates.

Finding space

The most likely to benefit from the excessive attention that Messi gets would be Alvarez and Martinez. Leading the line for clubs like Atletico and Inter Milan proves that they don’t need a second invitation to run at goal and know how to find the back of the net. They could be expertly fed by Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez with Alexis MacAllister as his partner in midfield.

Others to look out for in the middle of the park would be Rodrigo de Paul and Thiago Almada.

But for going deep in the draw – passage through Group J, which has Austria, Jordan and Algeria, shouldn’t be a big problem – it’s imperative that they keep the backdoor shut.

Emiliano Martinez became a star in Qatar with his antics, mind games and exploits in the shootout in the final against France. He often reserves his best for the country, but has been prone to the odd error in recent times. The 33-year-old needs to bring his A game to the table as the defensive shield.

Winning four major championships in a row is almost unthinkable. As usual, Argentina comes to the World Cup as one of the favourites, aiming to write one glorious final chapter in the Messi story. But with the same core expected to do the heavy lifting – notwithstanding a few exciting young talents given a go – 2026 may just turn out to be a bridge too far.