Argentina roster for March 2026: Messi makes squad list for rearranged Guatemala friendly

Argentina roster for March 2026: Messi makes squad list for rearranged Guatemala friendly originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Argentina will have a March international break after all, as they get set to face Guatemala on the 31st in a hastily arranged friendly to be played at Boca Juniors' La Bombonera.

The defending World Cup and Copa America champions were meant to play in the Finalissima this month against Spain, but hostilities in the Middle East scuppered the trophy match that was meant to be held in Qatar.

With no solution found for a rearranged date and venue that both national teams could agree upon, the game was cancelled and the federations left to fend for themselves in the final international break before World Cup rosters are announced in late May and early June. Thus, Argentina scrambled to arrange a match against Guatemala on home soil.

The Sporting News looks at what players have been called in by Lionel Scaloni, who will oversee the group one more time before making a final decision on who will represent the Albiceleste in their attempted title defense this coming summer.

MORE:What the Finalissima is all about — and why it was cancelled

Argentina roster for March 2026 match vs. Guatemala

Scaloni was widely expected to call in a first-choice roster for the Finalissima, and even without the trophy match to navigate, he still brings in a strong roster of players as he prepares for the World Cup to come this summer.

Leading the way on the roster is Lionel Messi who has started the 2026 season strong with Inter Miami. Also called in are uncapped defenders Tomas Palacios and Gabriel Rojas, while Gianluca Prestianni was a surprise inclusion.

The most notable absence from the roster is Lautaro Martinez, who is still recovering from an injury while playing for Inter Milan. Also not included for more football reasons was, Franco Mastantuono who has struggled for time this season with Real Madrid due in part to a groin injury. Other names left off include Giovani Lo Celso and Emiliano Buendia in midfield.

Argentina roster for March 2026

Below is the 26-man roster for the Argentina men's national team in their upcoming friendly against Guatemala on March 31, officially announced on March 18.

Caps correct as of the last match on November 18, 2025.

PosNameClubCapsGKEmiliano MartinezAston Villa (ENG)57GKJuan MussoAtletico Madrid (ESP)2GKGeronimo RulliMarseille (FRA)7DEFLeonardo BalerdiMarseille (FRA)11DEFValentin BarcoStrasbourg (FRA)2DEFTomas PalaciosEstudiantes (ARG)0DEFNahuel MolinaAtletico Madrid (ESP)56DEFGonzalo MontielRiver Plate (ARG)38DEFNicolas OtamendiBenfica (POR)129DEFGabriel RojasRacing Club (ARG)0DEFCristian RomeroTottenham (ENG)47DEFMarcos SenesiBournemouth (ENG)2DEFNicolas TagliaficoLyon (FRA)74MIDThiago AlmadaAtletico Madrid (ESP)12MIDRodrigo De PaulInter Miami (USA)83MIDEnzo FernandezChelsea (ENG)38MIDAlexis Mac AllisterLiverpool (ENG)42MIDNico PazComo (ITA)6MIDExequiel PalaciosBayer Leverkusen (GER)37MIDLeandro ParedesBoca Juniors (ARG)76MIDMaximo PerroneComo (ITA)1FWDJulian AlvarezAtletico Madrid (ESP)49FWDNico GonzalezAtletico Madrid (ESP)48FWDJose LopezPalmeiras (BRA)2FWDLionel MessiInter Miami (USA)196FWDGianluca PrestianniBenfica (POR)1FWDGiuliano SimeoneAtletico Madrid (ESP)9

Lionel Messi called in for Argentina in March against Guatemala

There were questions whether 38-year-old Lionel Messi will be brought into the Argentina squad for the March international window, as there were arguments to be made for both bringing him in and leaving him off.

Messi has a history of muscle injuries that, at his age, have increased in frequency. Leaving him off the roster for a one-off match against a significantly inferior opponent would allow him to rest and crack on for his club Inter Miami amidst a significant run of fixtures that includes continental play.

However, being their final home match before the World Cup, there are both preparatory and supporter reasons to bring Messi aboard. If he retires from international duty following the World Cup, this could potentially be his last home match for the Albiceleste, unless he does a farewell tour after the tournament.

Additionally, the March international window is traditionally meant for final preparations before the World Cup arrives, as the roster usually reflects a similar player list to that of the FIFA tournament itself. Leaving him off would force the team to play differently from how it will at the World Cup, and therefore render the preparation time somewhat less effective.

In the end, Lionel Scaloni decided to bring Messi on, although it remains to be seen how much he will actually play in the match.

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