Soccer
Inter Miami CF teammates Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul have made Argentina’s final 26-player roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Argentina enter this summer’s tournament as defending champions.
Messi and De Paul were key figures when La Albiceleste won the 2022 World Cup by beating France on penalty kicks.
🩵🤍🖤@InterMiamiCF’s Rodrigo De Paul and Leo Messi have been called up to defend the title for Argentina. 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/KdX1dWSJsJ
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 28, 2026
Argentina schedule: Group J
- June 16: Argentina vs. Algeria, 9 pm ET | Kansas City, Missouri
- June 22: Argentina vs. Austria, 1 pm ET | Dallas, Texas
- June 27: Argentina vs. Jordan, 10 pm ET | Dallas, Texas
The 2026 World Cup has expanded from the usual 32 nations to 48 total. The top two teams advance from each group, and the top eight third-place finishers also make the knockout phase (Round of 32).
The tournament, which is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, spans from June 11 to July 19.
Messi will compete in his sixth World Cup, having cemented his legacy on this stage with two goals vs. France in the 2022 final. He also earned Golden Ball honors (top player) at the tournament with 7g/3a, powering Argentina to their third World Cup trophy.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has appeared in a record 26 World Cup matches and produced 13g/8a. He is three goals shy of tying Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals.
Messi came stateside in July 2023 after a legendary European career with FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, a move that transformed North American soccer and elevated Inter Miami’s global profile.
The back-to-back Landon Donovan MLS MVP has won a world-record 47 titles for club and country, most recently capturing MLS Cup 2025 presented by Audi with the Herons. He has an astounding 90g/51a in 104 matches for the club.
De Paul was emphatic at the 2022 World Cup, starting all seven matches for Argentina en route to their tournament victory. He played 102 minutes in the final vs. France, which La Albiceleste won 7-5 on penalty kicks after an epic 3-3 draw.
De Paul has remained a key figure under manager Lionel Scaloni, helping Argentina win the 2024 Copa América and top Conmebol qualifiers during the 2026 cycle.
At club level, “El Motorcito” joined forces with Messi and Inter Miami in July 2025 on loan from LaLiga’s Atlético Madrid. He helped them capture last year’s MLS Cup title and scored the game-winning goal in the 3-1 final victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Ahead of the 2026 MLS season, Inter Miami permanently acquired De Paul for reportedly around $17 million. He is now a Designated Player.
Read MoreRandy Wrona