BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Amid a worrying rash of injuries, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni sought to dispel doubts by confirming that most of the reigning world champions, including captain Lionel Messi, will be part of the squad that will seek a second consecutive title at the 2026 World Cup.
Messi, about to turn 39, headlines the 26-man World Cup roster announced by the Argentine Football Association on Thursday.
Of those called up, 17 players were part of the team that triumphed four years ago in the final against France in Qatar.
Several of those players were in doubt due to injuries of varying severity, close to the June 1 deadline set by FIFA for finalizing World Cup squads. Among them was Messi himself, who is suffering from muscle fatigue and strain in his left hamstring, which prevented him from finishing the match with Inter Miami last Sunday.
The club has officially stated that his recovery time will depend on “his clinical and functional progress.” Messi will be playing in his sixth World Cup, having previously participated in Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2015, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who fractured the ring finger of his right hand during last week’s Europa League final in which Aston Villa defeated Freiburg, has also been confirmed.
Scaloni also included defender Cristian Romero, who is recovering from a sprained collateral ligament in his right knee suffered in mid-April while playing for Tottenham, and fullbacks Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel, who scored the decisive penalty kicks in the 2002 World Cup shootout against France, both of whom are recovering from muscle injuries.
Argentina, also world champions in 1978 and 1986, will debut on June 16 against Algeria in Group J, which also includes Austria and Jordan.
The squad will travel on Saturday to their World Cup base in Kansas City and will play friendlies against Honduras and Iceland before the start of the tournament.
Argentina squad:
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa), Gerónimo Rulli (Olympique de Marseille), Juan Musso (Atlético de Madrid).
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Nahuel Molina (Atlético de Madrid), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique de Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Nicolás Tagliafico (Olympique de Lyon), Facundo Medina (Olympique de Marseille).
Midfielders: Giovani Lo Celso (Betis), Leandro Paredes (Boca Jrs), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Valentín Barco (RC Strasbourg Alsace).
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolás González (Atlético de Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético de Madrid), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), José Manuel López (Palmeiras), Julián Álvarez (Atlético de Madrid), Thiago Almada (Lyon), Nico Paz (Como).
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi walks on the field during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Tim Ream was surprised, his voice filled with emotion.
On the verge of becoming the oldest U.S. player to appear in a World Cup, the 38-year-old defender was picked by coach Mauricio Pochettino to captain the Americans next month.
“Wow,” Ream said during a news conference Saturday, seated alongside Pochettino. “This is more than a dream come true. I’ve done everything possible to be a part of this group, to help this group along. I’m just really, really grateful to be sitting here, to have this honor."
Ream was not aware he was going to be appointed captain until Pochettino made the announcement during a news conference on an indoor field at the new U.S. National Soccer Training Center.
“It’s the highest honor for me in this group,” he said, his voice echoing in the gym-like room. “I’m not going to take that for granted."
A St. Louis native who plays for Charlotte in Major League Soccer, Ream will be 38 years, 250 days on the day the U.S. plays its opener against Paraguay on June 12, older than defender Fernando Clavijo when the U.S. was knocked out by Brazil in 1994. Clavijo was 37 years, 162 days or 38 years, 162 days — his birthdate was listed at Jan. 23, 1957, when he played and Jan. 23, 1956, at the time of his death in 2019.
Ream started all four games for the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup, when Tyler Adams at 23 was the youngest captain among the 32 nations and the youngest for the U.S. since 1950.
Adams said Thursday that he didn't care whether he would return as captain.
“It’s a privilege and honor, anyone that gets to wear the armband,” he said. “What I represent and how I lead, I think anybody that plays with me knows that I’m a leader. That’s just how I’ve been my entire career whether I’m wearing the armband or not.”
Ream has 80 international appearances and has captained the U.S. in 16 of 23 games since Pochettino took over in October 2024.
“A great captain, not only on the field, maybe more important off the field,” Pochettino said. “He has the experience, he has a capacity to be the leader that we want, the positive leader.”
Ream played college soccer for Saint Louis University, then joined the New York Red Bulls in 2010. He moved to England with Bolton in 2012, then signed with Fulham in 2015 and spent 10 seasons at Craven Cottage. He returned to MLS with Charlotte in 2024.
Previous U.S. World Cup captains include 24-year-old Mike Windischmann in 1990, 25-year-old Tony Meola in 1994, 37-year-old Thomas Dooley in 1998, 28-year-old Claudio Reyna in 2002, Reyna again in 2006, 31-year-old Carlos Bocanegra in 2010 and 31-year-old Clint Dempsey in 2014.
“So lucky to have a player like him with his personality and his character involved and helping the young players and the players also that have lesser experience,” Pochettino said. “Playing or not playing, he is the captain. It’s not now he’s the captain, he’s going to be sure in the starting 11.”
AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
FILE - United States defender Tim Ream (13) passes the ball during a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match against Trinidad and Tobago in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
Defender Tim Ream of the United States men's national soccer team is presented during the announcement of the team roster on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in New York City, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
