Two-time FIFA World Cup winner, 15 times Copa América Winner, and two times CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions winning recently in 2022. Argentina is known for having rivalries with Brazil, Uruguay, England, and Germany. Boasting of having 3 of the greatest players of 3 different generations: Alfredo di Stefano, Diego Armando Maradona, and Lionel Messi. While Alfredo di Stefano was banned from playing FIFA World Cup for Argentina, Maradona won it in 1986, Lionel Messi's Argentinian legacy will always be shy of being just the 2014 runner-up. While until two years ago, his legacy was of being the GOAT who couldn't win an international trophy which changed after his team was inspired into winning 2 of them, can they do that again? At 35 years of age, this can well be called "The Last Dance" as by the next edition he will be 39 years, and we don't think he will still be playing. One of the most naturally gifted players of any generation, and is top 3 by every single factor & criterion, 7 times a Ballon d'Or winner just shy of this solo trophy into completing his trophy cabinet with everything. Lionel Scaloni will have a tough task naming his squad of 26 with injuries and current form, and this might be the most talented lot surrounding Lionel Messi since his World Cup debut back in 2006.
Similar to other squads, we will be naming our team in a 4-3-3 formation while we expect Argentina to play a similar formation as well.
Goalkeeper
Our Pick: Emiliano Martínez
Aston Villa's Shot stopper will be playing his first world cup at age of 30. Interestingly, this will be 3rd different goalkeeper in the last 3 editions with Sergio Romero playing in 2014, Nahuel Guzmán playing in 2018 after Sergio Romero had to be withdrawn from the tournament due to a knee injury, and Emi Martinez for this edition. While a backup at Arsenal until the 2019/20 season before he made a €17.40m move to Aston Villa and cemented his position as a regular for both club and country is a veteran of English football. Started with Arsenal academy after making move from Independiente after a trial on his 17th birthday, since then he has played for Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Getafe, and Reading. While he has only played a total of 188 club games of which 90 have been at Aston Villa coming in the last 3 seasons, he is considered widely one of the best goalkeepers in Europe right now. This season in 16 games, he has kept 4 clean sheets and conceded 19 goals. While this season hasn't been great for Aston Villa with the club sacking Steven Gerrard and hiring former Arsenal manager Unai Emery, he has started well with a win over Manchester United in Premier League with Emi Martinez starting between the sticks. During the 2022/23 season, Martínez made 27.w passes per 90, 65.4% of these are accurate. Martínez is very good at the chipped pass technique. This helps him pick out wingers and full-backs that are in space. It has enough height and pace to reach the intended target. In the above example, we can see how he positions his head over the ball to give the ball more dip. When a goalkeeper takes a goal kick, he leans back to get more lift and backspin on the ball. The chipped pass technique is the total opposite. Martínez is one of the most effective when it comes to dealing with crosses into his box. Martínez is one of the most effective when it comes to dealing with crosses into his box. As well as his ability to claim high, dangerous balls, he is also very adept at intercepting the ball in other ways. If Argentina wants to win, they need him to be in his best form.
His backup will be Villarreal's Gerónimo Rulli and veteran River Plate's Franco Armani. Both of them are capable goalkeepers, who can be dependable if Emi Martinez is injured, but not near the same level of capabilities.
The players we will be snubbing are Celta de Vigo's Agustín Marchesín, Atlanta's Juan Musso, Boca Juniors' Agustín Rossi, and Monterrey's Esteban Andrada.
Defenders
Our Pick: Juan Foyth, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolás Tagliafico
Some choices are simpler while some are quite tricky, this back four is quite simple. All of them are in form for their respective team and all of them have pretty good stats. Starting with Juan Foyth, the 24-year-old right-back is a Villareal regular after making move permanent from Spurs. In 6 games so far for the club, he has 1.5 tackles, 1 interception, 1 foul, 0.3 offsides won 2.5 clearances and 0.5 dribbles. While offensively, 0.5 key passes, 36.5 avg. passes, 90.4% successful passes, and 2.6 long balls per game. The hallmarks of Foyth's game are his actions with the ball at his feet. He is ludicrously confident, looking like someone straight out of Barcelona's La Masia complex, embarking on dribbles out of his defensive line and into midfield seemingly at least five times per game. He can shift the ball from foot to foot to evade pressing and shuttle forward rather impressively. He was once called "Argentinian John Stones" after his performance in U-20 FIFA World Cup back in 2017.
On the other side is 30 years old Lyon's Nicolás Tagliafico. He is noted for his "lung-busting stamina, excellent technique, and continuous enterprise". As a result of his skills, as well as his playing position and club, nationality, and striking visual resemblance Tagliafico has been compared to the Internazionale and Argentina full-back Javier Zanetti, formerly also of Banfield. In 15 games this season in Ligue 1, he has 1 goal and 2 assists. While talking about the numbers, he has 3.3 tackles, 1.9 interceptions, 1.1 fouls, 1 clearance, 0.3 blocks, 0.8 key passes, and a 47.6 avg. passes, 88.1% successful passes, 0.3 crosses, and 1.1 long balls.
The pair for center-back will be Tottenham Hotspur's Cristian Romero and Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez. 13 games, and no goal contribution but defensively, quite solid. With 2.6 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 0.8 fouls, 2.1 clearances, 0.4 blocks, and 1 Dribbled pass per game. A right-footed central defender, Romero is comfortable across center-back positions. At Genoa and Atalanta, he played mostly on the right side or center of a back three, at Tottenham he has played on the right side of a center-back pair in a back four. Romero is comfortable playing on the front foot in a dynamic ball-carrying role. We will see more of his ability in possession later. He is a mobile and proactive defender, he likes to cover open advanced spaces and can willingly move into the midfield so suits the wide center-back position or right side of the back two. Especially suitable in a team that will defend high in order to assert themselves. A team holding high possession or fast countering ability would be perfect for Romero’s proactive, aggressive style off the ball and technical ability on it. When playing as a sweeper in Atalanta’s brave and progressive 3-4-3, Romero is able to defend closer to his own goal – the typical defensive actions: clearances, blocks, interceptions, etc. – and also to carry the ball in possession as a utility defensive midfielder.
Lisandro Martinez, or as they call him screaming with the flag, The Argentinian Butcher. He has an aggressive style of play. He is primarily a center-back, though he is capable of playing as a left-back and as a central midfielder, having played there at times for Defensa y Justicia and Ajax. He is a ball-playing center-back and is known for his range of passing and composure on the ball. In the 2021–22 Eredivisie season, he averaged more passes per 90 minutes than any other player. Before signing him, Ajax's scouts characterized Martínez as a left-footed ball-playing defender who is "tough as nails" and possesses a winning mentality. In 21 games, he has 1.8 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, 0.8 fouls, 0.3 offsides won, 3.5 clearances, 0.3 dribbled past, and 0.7 blocks per game.
Midfielders
Our Pick: Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Alejandro Gómez
Our 3 midfielders are veterans of the game and the squad, with both Leandro Paredes and Rodrigo de Paul aged 28 years old, and Alejandro Gómez aka Papu Gómez aged 34 years old. Let's start with the one at the pivot, Leandro Paredes. Juventus's main man in the midfield, Paredes' role as a deep-lying midfielder allows him to be on the end of many passes. His body positioning makes it difficult for the opponent to read his pass direction. The Argentine combines his awareness and precise ball control to dictate the play from deep areas in the midfield. In 17 games, he has 2 assists. Defensively, he has 1.1 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, 0.6 fouls, 0.4 clearances, 0.5 dribbled past, and 0.3 blocks per game. While offensively, he has 0.8 key passes, 32.6 avg passes 0.4 crosses, 2.1 long balls, and 88.9% successful passes per game.
In no. 8 role, it will be Atletico Madrid's Rodrigo de Paul. De Paul is a versatile, right-footed midfielder who is as proven from a right-sided midfield role as he is in the center. He is a strong ball carrier who is at his most effective when driving through the right inside channel, and who successfully holds off opponents while doing so. That he can also sharply turn when receiving the ball enhances that ability; he draws his direct opponent in to create the space he needs to penetrate through, and then potentially finishes his run with a direct forward pass. That he complements doing so with a sound judgment of when to release the ball, regardless of whether he is confronted by a deeper defensive block or a higher line, enhances his effectiveness. He impressively reads the stride of the relevant teammate as they run to ensure that the correct pass is played for them to receive in the penalty area, or to play them into space from which they can then cross. In 18 games for the club, he has 2 goals and 2 assists. While 0.7 shots, 1.1 key passes, 0.5 dribbles, 1.5 fouled, 35.4 avg passes, 0.6 crosses, 2.9 long balls, and 79.3% successful passes.
While at the tip of the No. 10 role in footballing terms, not saying taking Lionel Messi's role by any measures, it will be Sevilla's, Papu Gómez. A talented, diminutive player, with quick feet, explosive acceleration, and a low center of gravity, Gómez is a creative, technically gifted, and dynamic footballer, who is renowned for his pace, dribbling skills, and high work rate. Possessing good movement and a powerful and accurate long-range shot with either foot, he is known for his eye for goal from midfield, although he is also capable of creating goalscoring opportunities for teammates. A versatile attacker, he is capable of playing in several offensive positions and has even been deployed as the main striker on occasion, or as a false 9, although he usually plays as a second striker, in a central playmaking role as an attacking midfielder, or as a winger, usually on the left flank, a position which enables him to take on defenders in one on one situations, cut into the center onto his stronger right foot, and attempt a curling shot at goal, although he was often used on the right wing earlier in his career.
Their backup will be Bayer Leverkusen's Exequiel Palacios, Real Betis' Guido Rodríguez, Brighton & Hove Albion's Alexis Mac Allister, and Benfica's Enzo Fernández.
The names we are snubbing are injured Giovani lo Celso along with Roberto Pereyra, Maximiliano Meza, Nicolás Domínguez, Lucas Ocampos, Emiliano Buendía, Manuel Lanzini, and Thiago Almada.
Forward
Our Pick: Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Ángel Di María
Our front 3 is made up of PSG's Lionel Messi, Juventus' Angel di Maria, and Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez. While 7 times Ballon d'Or winner, six times European Golden Shoe Winner, one of the greatest players to ever play, the most goals in La Liga with 474 goals, the most goals in a La Liga and European league season (50), the most hat-tricks in La Liga (36) and the UEFA Champions League (8), and most assists in La Liga (192), a La Liga season (21) and the Copa América (17). He also holds the record for most international goals by a South American male (91). Messi has scored over 785 senior career goals for club and country and has the most goals by a player for a single club. this season alone he has 25 goals and 14 assists in 31 games for the club and country. Do we need anything more to say about the G.O.A.T and the captain?
On the left wing will be Ángel Di María, another name who walks into any team without justification. In 20 games this season, he has 4 goals and 4 assists for both club and country. He was the goalscorer in the Copa America final. Di María is a quick, strong, tricky, and talented winger who is also capable of playing as a more central attacking midfielder or on either side of the pitch, although he is predominantly a left-footed player. He has also been deployed to great effect as a central midfielder, in particular under Carlo Ancelotti's tenure with Real Madrid. Possessing a slender frame, Di María is an agile, creative, and highly technical player who possesses excellent dribbling skills and ball control, as well as great pace, stamina, movement, and acceleration, attributes which allow him to beat players easily in one-on-one situations. He is also gifted with excellent vision, set-piece delivery, passing, and crossing ability, which allow him to function effectively as a playmaker and as an assist provider, although he is also capable of scoring goals himself, and is an accurate free kick taker.
In the role of no.9 will be Lautaro Martinez. In 32 games, Inter Milan striker has scored 13 goals and 5 assists. After initially playing as a central defender in his youth, Martínez later established himself as a forward, citing Radamel Falcao as one of his major influences. A dynamic, quick, agile, and technically gifted player, who is a prolific goalscorer, he is known for his elegant playing style, good dribbling skills, and clinical finishing ability, as well as surprising physical strength and aerial prowess despite his diminutive stature; however, he has also drawn criticism from pundits for his lack of accuracy from the penalty spot. Possessing good link-up play, defensive contribution, and an ability to drop deep off the ball to either press opponents or drag them out of position, he is also a highly creative and hard-working player, who is capable of assisting goals as well as scoring them himself; as such, he is also able to play as a second striker, in addition to his usual role as either a center-forward or out–and–out striker. Due to his leadership, tenacity, and mentality on the pitch, he has been nicknamed El Toro ("The Bull," in Spanish). In 2020, Spencer Rance of 90min.com considered Martínez to be one of the most promising young players in world football, while manager Mauricio Pochettino rated him as one of the best strikers in the world. Former Argentina and Inter striker Hernán Crespo likened Martínez to compatriot Sergio Agüero in 2020.
Other names on the plane will be Roma's Paulo Dybala, Manchester City's Julián Álvarez, Atletico Madrid's Ángel Correa, and Inter Milan's Joaquín Correa.
Names we are snubbing are injured Fiorentina's Nicolás González, Lucas Alario, Giovanni Simeone, Alejandro Garnacho, and Lucas Boyé
While Argentina will go as one of the favorites, and they have the players which do make them favorites, their rivals Brazil and a couple of European teams will be their main competition. Anything less than Semi-Final would be a rather disappointing affair.
Argentina's Confirmed World Cup Squad:
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