Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has named the 55-man longlist of players for the 2026 World Cup, including Lautaro Martinez, Matias Soulé and Nico Paz, but not Paulo Dybala.
The Seleccion are the reigning World Champions, having won the trophy in 2022 in Qatar, and go into this tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico as one of the favourites.
There is no shortage of talent to choose from and many of them ply their trade in Serie A.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 10: Lautaro Martínez of Argentina reacts during the International Friendly between Argentina and Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium on October 10, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Lautaro Martinez is not in doubt, as the Inter striker and Capocannoniere was a key figure in their Copa America triumph two years ago.
Others included in the 55-man longlist who play in Serie A are Como talent Nico Paz, Roma’s Soulé, Como midfielder Maximo Perrone, Bologna striker Santiago Castro and Parma centre-forward Mateo Pellegrino.
Nico Gonzalez is there too, currently on loan at Atletico Madrid from Juventus.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – MARCH 08: Santiago Castro of Bologna reacts during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and Hellas Verona FC at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
However, Roma veteran Dybala is not even in the extended Argentina list, meaning he has no hope of participating in the World Cup this summer.
La Joya just completed his comeback from injury and had his first start since January 25, but it was not enough to convince Scaloni.
PARMA, ITALY – MAY 10: Paulo Dybala of AS Roma is challenged by Mateo Pellegrino of Parma Calcio 1913 during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio 1913 and AS Roma at Stadio Ennio Tardini on May 10, 2026 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Someone who is included for Argentina is Gianluca Prestianni, the Benfica winger currently suspended after alleged racist insults towards Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid during a Champions League match.
Lionel Messi is there too, although the legend now at Inter Miami has not yet confirmed he wants to be at the World Cup for Argentina.
Argentina longlist for World Cup
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Geronimo Rulli (Olympique Marseille), Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid), Walter Benítez (Crystal Palace), Facundo Cambeses (Racing Club), Santiago Beltran (River Plate).
Defenders: Agustin Giay (Palmeiras), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Nicolas Capaldo (Hamburg), Kevin Mac Allister (Union Saint-Gilloise), Lucas Martinez Quarta (River Plate), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), German Pezzella (River Plate), Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Lautaro Di Lollo (Boca Juniors), Zaid Romero (Getafe), Facundo Medina (Olympique Marseille), Marcos Acuña (River Plate), Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique 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), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Nicolas Dominguez (Nottingham Forest), Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa), Nicolas Paz (Como), Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid), Thiago Almada (Atletico Madrid), Tomas Aranda (Boca Juniors), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Claudio Echeverri (Girona), Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica).
Forwards: Santiago Castro (Bologna), Lautaro Martinez (Inter), José Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid), Mateo Pellegrino (Parma), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolas Gonzalez (Atletico Madrid/Juventus), Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea), Matías Soulé (Roma), Valentin Barco (Strasbourg)
