Lionel Messi Included as Argentina Name Expanded 55-Man World Cup Squad

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1508 EAT on Tuesday 12 May 2026

Questions over whether Lionel Messi will feature at the FIFA World Cup have dominated fan discussions in recent months, but his inclusion in Argentina’s preliminary squad for the tournament appears to have eased concerns about his participation.

The global football star was among the 55 players named by Lionel Scaloni in Argentina’s provisional World Cup squad announced on Monday. However, the 38-year-old has yet to fully confirm his availability as Argentina prepare to defend their world title.

Lionel Messi was among the 16 forwards named by Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni, who also included Gianluca Prestianni despite the player serving a six-match ban that could rule him out of Argentina’s opening two group-stage matches.

The Inter Miami CF and Argentina captain has repeatedly hinted that his career at the highest level may be nearing its conclusion.

“I’m conscious that I’m playing my final matches, and I’m enjoying them to the maximum,” Messi said after an Inter Miami match in June. “I’m sure that you’re watching my final moments in football’s elite.”

However, the 38-year-old has neither confirmed nor ruled out his participation with La Albiceleste ahead of the month-long tournament, which begins on June 11.

Lionel Messi was part of Argentina’s squad during the early stages of qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but injuries sidelined the football icon for several of the team’s recent matches.

The absences prompted Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni to say there was still “plenty of time” to decide on Messi’s international future. However, the World Cup-winning manager may have signalled both his own intentions and those of the player by including the 38-year-old in the provisional squad announcement.

Lionel Messi’s teammates have made little secret of their desire to see the captain return for another World Cup campaign.
“With Messi, we might have scored two or three more goals,” Julian Alvarez said after Argentina’s 4-1 victory over Brazil in last year’s South American qualifiers.

Rodrigo De Paul echoed the sentiments of Argentina supporters around the world, saying: “The best version of our team is always when the number 10 is playing because he is the greatest of all time.”
Messi scored seven goals as Argentina lifted the World Cup trophy for the first time in 36 years at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The captain scored Argentina’s opening goal in regulation time during the final against France national football team and also converted the team’s first penalty in the shootout after the match ended 3-3 following extra time.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Gianluca Prestianni is set to miss at least two of Argentina’s World Cup matches as he serves a six-match suspension for allegedly using homophobic slurs during a UEFA Champions League match in February.

Playing for S.L. Benfica, Prestianni was accused of directing verbal insults at Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid CF. The player denied using abusive language and said on social media that he had been “misunderstood”.

The initial punishment was imposed by UEFA before being extended to all FIFA-sanctioned competitions by FIFA.
Prestianni made his Argentina debut in November and has remained part of the national team setup in recent months.
The World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, will conclude on July 19.

Argentina begin their title defence against Algeria national football team on June 16 in Kansas City before facing Austria national football team on June 22 in Dallas and Jordan national football team at the same venue on June 27.

-Aljazeera

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