Lionel Scaloni Readies Argentina World Cup Push For Back-to-Back Titles
Argentina enter the argentina world cup as the defending champions and are aiming for back-to-back titles after winning in Qatar in 2022. Lionel Scaloni says the challenge is severe, but the squad still carries most of the core that delivered the trophy three years ago.
"It will be a very complex and difficult World Cup. We have to prepare the players because what’s coming is going to be tough; you can’t always win," Scaloni said. He also added, "This shirt is demanding. The fans want to see a team that plays good football on the pitch. From there, we know that the best team doesn’t always win."
Scaloni Keeps Argentina's Shape
Scaloni plans to stay with the 4-3-3 formation that carried Argentina through the last cycle. That gives Lionel Messi a familiar setup again, with Julián Alvarez and Thiago Almada supporting him in the attack.
Di María is no longer available to the national team, but the group still looks deep. Almost two thirds of the 2022 squad remains in place, and that continuity is central to Argentina’s case for repeating.
Messi, Almada and Lautaro Martínez
Messi leads Argentina once more, while Almada could emerge as the breakout player. Nico Paz has also been in excellent form at Como, giving Scaloni another option to consider.
Lautaro Martínez wants to arrive in top condition for the tournament. That matters because Argentina finished top of the Conmebol qualifying section and did so nine points clear of second-placed Ecuador, with the first World Cup qualifying win in Brazil among the results that shaped the campaign.
Qatar Core, 2026 Tests
Scaloni’s own rise mirrors the team’s. He served as Jorge Sampaoli’s assistant at the 2018 World Cup, then became world champion with Argentina in 2022 and has since added two Copa América titles, giving him three major trophies in the cycle.
The test now comes in June, when Argentina will play Algeria in Kansas City on 16 June, Austria in Dallas on 22 June and Jordan in Dallas on 27 June. With the 2026 World Cup beginning on 11 June, Argentina arrive as the holders and as the team everyone else will measure against.
