Paulo Dybala’s international career with Argentina appears to be over after the Roma forward was excluded from the 55-man preliminary squad submitted by head coach Lionel Scaloni for the 2026 World Cup.
The 32-year-old playmaker has not played for La Albiceleste since late 2024. Although he was part of the team that won the World Cup in Qatar, his role has declined due to injuries and the emergence of younger talent. Scaloni’s decision to leave Dybala off the list strongly suggests his time with the national team has come to an end.
Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho and Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni are among the new faces included in the preliminary squad. Prestianni is currently under a global FIFA ban for his behavior during a Champions League match, which would see him miss Argentina’s first two group stage games against Algeria and Austria if he makes the final cut.
Lionel Messi, the Inter Miami captain, is on the 55-man list. However, he has yet to publicly confirm whether he will take part in the tournament.
Argentina’s coaching staff now has until May 30 to trim the squad to the final 26 players. The team is scheduled to play two warm-up matches in the United States: against Honduras at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field on June 6, and against Iceland at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium on June 9.
Argentina is placed in Group J for the World Cup. They will face Algeria on June 16, Austria on June 22, and Jordan on June 27 to conclude the group stage.
