Arab media: Preparing for the 2026 World Cup, rising stars, veterans competing for rank, Argentina launches a roster battle

Argentina's "Ole": Scaloni prepares for the 2026 World Cup, with rising stars rising, veterans competing for the position, Argentina launching a "roster battle"

Only 282 days left before the opening of the 2026 US, Canada and Mexico World Cup. The Argentine national team has quietly launched an "internal battle" without gunpowder under the leadership of coach Scaloni - competing for that precious ticket to the World Cup finals. This competition is far more than 90 minutes on the court, but quietly unfolds from every training, every pass, and every decision.

With Messi's sixth personal and last World Cup in his career, Argentina's renewal process is accelerating. Although the championship team that Qatar won the championship still firmly occupies the main position, Scaloni did not stick to the meritorious lineup, but continued to open the door, allowing newcomers to compete on the same stage with veterans, setting off a big wave that concerns the future.

This Thursday, Argentina will face Venezuela at the Monument Stadium, and then challenge the plateau rival Ecuador away to end the first half of the South American World Cup. After that, the team will also usher in a series of international warm-up matches: against Venezuela and Puerto Rico in the United States in October; expeditions to Angola and India in November; and in March 2025, it is expected to stage a "European Cup-Copa America Championship duel" with the European Cup champion (Finalissima). These competitions are not only a good opportunity to train troops, but also a key stage for Scaloni to inspect the lineup and polish his tactics.

At present, although the 23- or 26-man World Cup roster has not been finalized, 70% of the seats have become clear. Even so, the competition for the remaining quotas is getting increasingly fierce. Enzo Fernandez is missing due to suspension and Lisandro Martinez is still recovering, providing others with a rare opportunity to go up.

What is remarkable is that a group of players have successfully moved from the edge to the core. Thiago Almada, from the 26th player in the Qatar World Cup, has grown into an indispensable organizer in the midfield today; Julian Simeone, got rid of the label of "son of famous coaches", and with comprehensive skills and fighting spirit, he has become a versatile player on the front line; and Leonardo Bardi, who plays for Marseille, is the defender who left Boca youth training in his early years, is now the team captain. As long as Otamendi, Romero or Lisandro are absent, he is the most reliable substitute in the defense.

But the real "war of the future" is being staged fiercely among the younger generation. Although most of these "millennial" stars still belong to the U20 or U23 category, they have a World Cup dream and are eager to leave their mark on Messi's curtain call.

They frequently appear in Ezesa training camps and share their growth trajectories on social media. These include:

Franco Mastantuno, a treasure of River Plate youth training, now playing for Real Madrid, has made his debut in the adult national team and has made history;

Nico Pas, chose to stay in Serie A, Cuomo, seeking a stable appearance, rejecting the famous of the giants, just to accumulate practical experience;

Claudio Echevelli, a talented young man, just joined Leverkusen on loan, while chasing the double glory of the adult national team and the U20 World Cup;

Julio Soler, produced by Lance youth training, currently plays for Bournemouth in the Premier League. Although he has not played many times, his value cannot be ignored as a scarce left-back candidate;

Valentine Caboni, once a regular visitor to the national team, was seriously injured after winning the Copa America, and is now striving to return to the top.

These five people represent the new force of Argentine football. They grew up in the era when Messi wrote a legend and experienced the championship night at Lucerne Stadium on December 18, 2022. Now, they are eager to transform from witnesses to participants.

In addition, Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea) and Matthias Sule (Roma) are also struggling in the European arena, looking forward to winning the call again. In this training session, Fraco Lopez and Alan Varella were selected for the adult national team for the first time. They are using every minute of training to prove to the coaching staff that they deserve a position - just like Tati Castellanos, Beltran and Ekvi Fernandez, they are working hard to return to the national team's vision through the club's outstanding performance.

Scaloni always emphasized: "The door of the national team is always open to players in excellent shape." In his opinion, every training and every touch of the ball is a battlefield for the World Cup "visa".

Even if you have won the Hercules Cup, it is difficult to protect the seat. Scaloni tells everyone with his actions: state determines everything.

In this issue's list, Gonzalo Montell and Marcos Acunia returned from injury. The two Riverbed sidebacks were previously out of the June game due to injuries and tactical adjustments, and now they have returned strongly with the club's stable performance. On the right, Molina is still the first choice, Montel is the first substitute, and Juan Voith can also play a cameo; on the left, because Taliafico is unable to support him, Valentine Balco is not selected, and Faquento Medina is injured, Scaloni has to use Soler again and give "Egg" Akuña a new opportunity.

However, there are three former main players facing severe challenges:

Gio Lo Celso (Betis) has fluctuated in form and is unstable in playing time;

Esecchiel Palacios (Leverkusen)'s national team position has been hit by a newcomer;

Nicholas Gonzalez, who has just joined Atletico Madrid, needs to adapt to the new environment as soon as possible and regain the rhythm of the game.

Their future depends on whether they can gain a foothold in the club. Once the downturn continues, the impact of the younger generation will be unstoppable.