Argentina's Title Defence — From Messi's Era to the Next Generation
After Qatar, how does Argentina retain the trophy in North America? A look at the key players and likely changes.
In December 2022, Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup under the Lusail night sky — the last piece of a legendary career. Four years on, La Albiceleste is transitioning.
The spine is still there
Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernández remain Scaloni’s preferred midfield trio — the engine behind a Copa América retention in 2024 that showed European top-tier levels of control.
A new front line
As Messi steps back, Julián Álvarez and Alejandro Garnacho are being trusted with the spotlight. Álvarez, in particular, has graduated into a genuine focal-point striker across his spells at Manchester City and Atlético Madrid.
Group outlook
Per our sample draw:
- Brazil: a Clásico del continente every single time
- USA: never underestimate a tournament host
- Japan: Asia’s sharpest press, and a real test opening at 2,240 m altitude in Mexico City
Argentina can’t afford to sleepwalk through any match — especially the opener.
