Argentina’s New Era: The Next Generation Stepping Up for World Cup 2026

Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Messi finally got his trophy at the Lusail Stadium, and that felt like everything Argentina had been building toward for years. Now 2026 is coming up though, and the whole situation looks different. Messi will be 38 by then, he keeps avoiding questions about whether he’ll actually play. Angel Di Maria retired from international football already. The team needs new blood.

Young Players Getting Their Chance

Argentina qualified for 2026 easily, topped their group and beat Brazil twice which always matters. But Scaloni has been testing younger players in these qualifiers since qualification was basically locked up months ago. Smart move because you can’t just suddenly replace legends overnight and expect things to work.

Franco Mastantuono

Franco Mastantuono is 17 years old and people won’t shut up about him. Plays for River Plate, Real Madrid already bought him for when he turns 18. He scored this incredible free kick against Boca Juniors in the Superclásico that went viral everywhere. Everyone started calling him the next Messi immediately, which is probably not fair to put on a teenager but that’s how it goes.

Claudio Echeverri

Claudio Echeverri came from River Plate too, their academy just keeps producing these types of players. Manchester City bought him, same deal they did with Julian Alvarez where they loan him back. Got called up to the senior team recently even though he hasn’t debuted yet. Scored five goals at the U17 World Cup including a hat-trick against Brazil. Can play different positions up front, drops deep when needed.

Nico Paz

Nico Paz is at Como now but came through Real Madrid’s system. His dad Pablo Paz played for Argentina so football runs in the family obviously. Had to choose between Argentina and Spain, picked Argentina. Made his debut this year, played 90 minutes against Venezuela and hit the crossbar. Close but not quite. He’s got that creativity where he drifts between positions, which modern football seems to require from everyone now.

The Ones Already Established

Some aren’t even that young anymore in football terms. Enzo Fernandez won the Young Player of the Tournament in Qatar, he was only 21 then. On the other hand, Julian Alvarez matters a lot for this transition period. Works hard defensively, links play, scores goals. Pep Guardiola values him at Manchester City which says something. Argentina needs him to step up even more if Messi isn’t there, and any sportsbook like 1Bet probably has him near the top of their Golden Boot odds for 2026 already.

Alejandro Garnacho had a weird path to the national team. Got left out, then scored that overhead kick for Manchester United against Everton and suddenly he was back in. Scaloni brought him back into squads after that. He’s fast and direct, causing problems on the wing. Still rough around the edges in some ways but the talent is there. He’ll be 22 at the World Cup, could be his breakout moment on the big stage or he could struggle. Hard to predict with young players.

Challenges They’re Facing

Scaloni needs to evolve how the team plays while keeping what works. Getting young players integrated without messing up team chemistry is tricky. Mastantuono and Echeverri and Paz have talent but they’re teenagers basically. World Cups are under different pressure, one mistake and you’re eliminated. Playing qualifiers against weaker teams isn’t the same as knockout rounds when everything matters. Can they handle that mentally?

The Messi question hangs over all of this. Does he play or not? If he plays, do younger attackers get enough opportunities? If he doesn’t, can Argentina handle not having him there psychologically? His leadership matters beyond just what he does on the field. Reports say he wants to extend his Inter Miami contract through 2026 which suggests maybe he’s thinking about it, but who knows really.

What’s Different About This Generation

These kids grew up watching Messi win everything. They’ve been around a winning culture with the national team, seen what success looks like up close. That’s valuable even if they haven’t played much themselves.

Most of them already play in Europe’s top leagues. Echeverri will be at Manchester City, Mastantuono at Real Madrid, Garnacho at Manchester United. Getting coached by the best, competing every week at the highest level. Previous Argentine generations didn’t always have that.

The technical quality is still there, Argentina keeps producing skillful players who can control the ball in tight spaces. That’s cultural, something in Argentine football from youth levels up. Mix that with modern tactical coaching in Europe and you get more complete players than before maybe.

Conclusion

Argentina goes into 2026 as favorites regardless of Messi probably. Squad depth is better than it was in Qatar, more options everywhere. Scaloni proved he can manage the team and make tough calls. They know how to win tournaments now, that confidence matters. Any sportsbook like 1Bet will have Argentina in the top three or four favorites with France and Brazil and maybe England or Spain. The odds reflect the talent but also how hard repeating is.

The next generation isn’t waiting anymore though. They’re already getting called up, playing minutes. Mastantuono shared the pitch with Messi in recent matches. Paz started games. Echeverri trains with the squad. Whether Argentina wins again depends on a lot of things. Injuries, form, luck, who they draw in knockout rounds. But the talent pipeline looks healthy and that’s what you need for staying successful beyond one tournament. Messi’s era is ending but Argentine football keeps going. Always does.