The first Argentina World Cup squad leak is out, and there’s a surprising name missing from Lionel Scaloni’s list!
Here’s the latest news about Argentina’s World Cup team as fans eagerly wait to see who will make the final squad.
Argentina, the reigning world champions, won the title for the third time after an exciting penalty shoot-out against France in Qatar. Lionel Messi led the team to victory, completing his incredible football journey. They’re still one of the favorites for the upcoming tournament in North America, and Messi is expected to play in his sixth and final World Cup, despite a recent injury scare.
Coach Lionel Scaloni is carefully deciding on his final 26 players, and Argentina is the last big team to announce their squad. But there’s been a leak about one player: Chelsea’s new signing Valentin Barco may not make the cut, according to German Garcia Grova from TyC Sports. Barco, who recently joined Chelsea from Strasbourg, has played twice for Argentina but seems likely to miss out on the World Cup. He’s a versatile 21-year-old, able to play left-back or defensive midfield, and even had a short spell at Brighton and Hove Albion.
Many fans weren’t happy hearing this news, with some calling it unfair or disrespectful.
Other top teams like England, France, Germany, Brazil, and Portugal have already announced their squads. Scaloni is taking his time because he wants to make sure everything is right. “We’re using all the time we have to check the players’ condition and finalize the squad,” Scaloni said on Radio La Red. “After that, we won’t risk players in friendlies; we’ll use a mix of players.”
He has until June 1 to name the squad, just before FIFA’s official announcement for all 48 teams.
One surprise could be Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, who faces a worldwide suspension after an incident with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr in the Champions League. Prestianni denied racist comments but admitted to using a homophobic slur. UEFA’s six-game ban means if he’s selected, he would miss Argentina’s first two World Cup matches.
Argentina will play friendlies against Honduras and Iceland before their Group J opener against Algeria on June 16. They’ll then face Austria six days later, finishing group play against World Cup debutants Jordan on June 27.