Lionel Messi in Argentina's provisional squad, Prestianni called up despite FIFA suspension.

Lionel Messi is once again the center of attention after his name was included in Argentina's provisional 55-man squad for the 2026 World Cup. However, amidst the presence of the captain, public attention is also focused on two young names, Gianluca Prestianni and Alejandro Garnacho, who have also been called up by coach Lionel Scaloni to the provisional Albiceleste squad. The list was officially announced by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) through their official website on Monday, May 11th. From the total of 55 players, Scaloni will later select only 26 names to feature in the final round of the 2026 World Cup, held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico starting June 12th. Messi's presence is a strong signal that the Inter Miami superstar is still open to participating in his sixth career World Cup. Until now, Messi has not provided official confirmation on whether he will play in the tournament. At 38 years old, Messi remains the central figure in Argentina's play. Nevertheless, Scaloni is reportedly beginning to prepare a tactical evolution so that the Albiceleste does not rely entirely on the former Barcelona star. Argentina is also still bolstered by a lineup of key players such as Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Nico Paz. However, one of the most surprising decisions is the absence of Paulo Dybala. The AS Roma forward has not been called up since 2024. Besides Messi, Argentina's provisional list is also filled with young players and debutants. Gianluca Prestianni's name is drawing significant attention as he recently received a six-match ban from UEFA for racially abusing Vinicius Junior during a Champions League match against Real Madrid. This ban has even been extended globally by FIFA, meaning the Benfica player would be suspended for the first two group stage matches if he makes the final Argentina squad. Despite the controversy, Scaloni has included Prestianni because his performance is considered promising. The impressive displays of the 20-year-old winger helped Argentina reach the final of last year's U-20 World Cup. Meanwhile, Alejandro Garnacho retains trust despite his inconsistent performances with Chelsea this season. Scaloni believes Garnacho possesses advantages in speed and explosiveness on the wing. Argentina has also given first-time call-ups to Nicolas Capaldo, Zaid Romero, and Mateo Pellegrino as part of the squad regeneration. As the defending 2022 World Cup champions, Argentina arrives at the 2026 tournament as one of the favorites. Albiceleste is placed in Group J alongside Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.

Argentina Provisional Squad for the 2026 World Cup

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille), Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid), Walter Benitez (Crystal Palace), Facundo Cambeses (Racing Club), Samtoago Beltran (River Plate).

Defenders: Agustin Giay (Palmieras), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Kevin Mac Allister (Unions Saint-Gilloise), Lucas Martinez (River Plate), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), German Pezzella (River Plate), Lautaro Di Lollo (Boca Juniors), Zaid Romero (Getafe), Facundo Medina (Marseille), Marco Acuna (River Plate), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Gabriel Rojas (Racing Club).

Midfielders: Maximo Perrone (Como), Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors), Guido Rodriguez (Valencia), Anibal Moreno (River Plate), Milton Delgado (Boca Juniors), Alan Varela (Porto), Ezequiel Fernandez (Bayer Leverkusen), Rodrigo de Paul (Inter Miami), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Alex Mac Allister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis).

Forwards: Nicolas Dominguez (Nottingham Forest), Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa), Valentin Barco (Strasbourg), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolas Paz (Como), Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid), Thiago Almada (Atletico Madrid), Tomas Aranda (Boca Juniors), Nicolas Gonzalez (Atletico Madrid), Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Matis Soule (Roma), Claudio Echeverri (Girona), Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica), Santiago Castro (Bologna), Lautaro Martinez (Inter), Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras), Julian Avarez (Atletico Madrid), Mateo Pellegrino (Parma Calcio)