Our projected (not confirmed) Argentina XI for the World Cup 2026 opener against Algeria - formation, key duels and a man-of-the-match shout.
The reigning champions begin their title defence against Algeria, and Lionel Scaloni faces the enviable problem of fitting too much quality into eleven shirts. Below is our projected line-up. To be clear, this is not a confirmed team - it is an educated forecast based on Argentina's settled framework and recent selection trends. See the fixture details on the match page and the full squad on the Argentina team page.
Scaloni has built his success on a flexible 4-3-3 that can shift into a 4-4-2 out of possession. Expect the same here, with continuity prioritised for a first match.
Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez - the undisputed number one and a serial big-moment shot-stopper.
Defence: Nahuel Molina at right-back, Cristian Romero and Nicolas Otamendi in the centre, Nicolas Tagliafico at left-back. Lisandro Martinez offers a strong alternative alongside Romero, and the centre-back pairing is the one area where Scaloni may rotate, but the experienced Otamendi typically gets the nod for an opener.
Midfield: Rodrigo De Paul as the energetic shuttler, Leandro Paredes anchoring in front of the defence, and Alexis Mac Allister as the most advanced of the three, linking play and arriving in the box. Enzo Fernandez pushes hard for a starting role and could come in for Paredes if Scaloni wants more progression.
Attack: Lionel Messi operating off the right and drifting central, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez sharing the central duties. Our pick is Alvarez to start through the middle for his pressing and movement, with Lautaro a constant menace from the bench or alongside him.
Projected XI: E. Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Paredes, Mac Allister; Messi, J. Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez.
The obvious romantic answer is Messi, and an opener is exactly the stage he tends to illuminate. But our shout is Julian Alvarez: his relentless running, finishing and link play make him the most likely to influence the scoreline across 90 minutes. Lautaro Martinez is the dark-horse pick if he starts.
For how this team might progress, see our winner prediction and build their run in the bracket. Remember - line-ups can and will change right up to kick-off.
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