The Argentina national team will begin the campaign to defend its World Cup title, by facing Ecuador and Bolivia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, led by its star and captain, Lionel Messi, according to the lineup announced by the federation on Thursday.

Coach Lionel Scaloni was absent from some prominent players, such as Paulo Dybala (Roma, Italy), Marcos Acuña (Seville, Spain), and Giovanni Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur, England), due to injury.

Messi (36 years old), who recently joined Inter Miami, will lead the team alongside veterans Angel Di Maria (Benfica, Portugal) and Rodrigo de Paul (Atletico Madrid, Spain) .

The complete list of players is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, England), Franco Armani (River Plate), Walter Benitis (PSV Eindhoven), Juan Musso (Atalanta, Italy).
Defenders: Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United, England), Juan Foyth (Villarreal, Spain), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica, Portugal), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Goncalo Montiel (Seville), German Pezzella (Real Betis, Spain), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon, France). ), Christian Romero (Tottenham), Marco Senesi (Bournemouth, England), Lucas Esquivel (Atlético Paranaense, Brazil).
Midfielders: Rodrigo de Paul (Atletico Madrid), Leandro Paredes (Roma, Italy), Alexis McAllister (Liverpool, England), Enso Fernandez (Benfica), Ezequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis), Facundo Buonanotte ( Brighton, England), Alan Velasco (Dallas, USA), Bruno Sabelli (Atlético Paranaense), Thiago Almada (Atlanta United, USA).
Forwards: Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, Italy), Di Maria (Benfica), Julian Alvarez (Manchester City, England), Nicolas Gonzalez and Lucas Beltran (Fiorentina, Italy), Messi (Inter Miami), Angel Korea (Atletico Madrid), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United) United).