Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni finalized the list of 26 players who will compete at the 2026 World Cup. However, the manager surprised many by calling up seven additional players from the preliminary 55-man list for the friendlies on June 6 and 9 against Honduras and Iceland.
Youth, the present, and emergency options
The selected players are Santiago BeltrĆ”n, AgustĆn Giay, NicolĆ”s Capaldo, TomĆ”s Aranda, Ignacio Ovando, JoaquĆn Freitas, and SimĆ³n Escobar. Although their main role will be to serve as high-intensity sparring partners during training sessions in North America, they are shaping up as the first line of response in case of any unexpected last-minute absences.
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Within this group, the potential of local football gems such as Aranda (Boca), BeltrĆ”n and Freitas (River), and Ovando (Rosario Central) stands out. Capaldoās European experience also catches the eye ā he is Hamburgās captain ā as does the precociousness of Escobar, a VĆ©lez reserve-team defender who is only 16 years old.
The trimming of the 55-man list
On the other hand, the final World Cup squad left internationally renowned names such as Alejandro Garnacho, MatĆas SoulĆ©, Alan Varela, Marcos Senesi, and GermĆ”n Pezzella out of contention, completing a major generational overhaul.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in šŖšø here.
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