Argentina’s answer to that question is Lautaro Martínez, Julián Álvarez, and a midfield that doesn’t need a No. 10 to create chances. Messi is in the squad at 38, with Scaloni carefully managing his minutes, but the system has been stress-tested without him. Three competitive wins, one defeat since 2024. The structure doesn’t collapse without their captain. It gets more direct, more physical, and more reliant on the forwards to do what Messi usually does alone. 

How the System Shifts Without Him 

Scaloni’s base shape is a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. When Messi isn’t driving play from his free role on the right, the creative load shifts to the midfield trio of Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, and Rodrigo De Paul. Thiago Almada moves into a more central attacking position. Álvarez drops deeper to connect midfield and attack rather than running in behind. Nicolás González and Alejandro Garnacho cover the flanks. The structure doesn’t require Messi to function; it just looks different without him. 

Lautaro and Álvarez as the Primary Threat

The most reassuring number in Argentina’s squad belongs to Lautaro Martínez. The 28-year-old finished the 2025-26 Serie A season as top scorer with 17 goals and 6 assists in 28 appearances, and did it despite missing several weeks with a calf strain in early 2026. Álvarez contributed 8 goals and 4 assists across 29 La Liga appearances for Atlético Madrid. Combined, that’s 25 goals and 10 assists in club football heading into the tournament. 

Garnacho: 1G/4A Premier League; 6G/4A all competitions. All other stats: domestic league only. Source: FotMob, FootyStats, FcTables.

Álvarez is the more adaptable of the two, a wide, second striker, or deepest press line, depending on what Scaloni needs. That versatility is exactly what a plan B requires. 

Argentina 2026 World Cup Messi Plan B 

The competitive evidence since 2024 is the most honest measure of where Argentina stands without their captain. In the 2024 Copa América, they beat Peru 2-0 after Messi withdrew with an ankle injury sustained against Chile. In March 2025, they won back-to-back World Cup qualifiers without him, 4-1 against Brazil at home, then 1-0 against Uruguay. The one blemish: a 1-0 defeat to Ecuador in September 2025 that ended their two-year hold at the top of the FIFA rankings. Three wins, one defeat. That’s a squad, not a one-man team. 

The Depth Scaloni Has Built

What makes the Argentina 2026 World Cup Messi plan B genuinely credible is the breadth of attacking options Scaloni has assembled in his 55-man preliminary list. Beyond Lautaro and Álvarez, the attack includes Garnacho (Chelsea), Nico González (Atlético Madrid), Almada, Giuliano Simeone, and younger options in Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid) and Nico Paz (Como). Mac Allister, Fernández, and De Paul can generate chances without a No. 10 feeding them. 

Messi’s 21 World Cup goal contributions confirm the gap his absence leaves. A Messi-free title run would be unprecedented. Scaloni rotating him through the group stage to keep him sharp for the knockout rounds isn’t a concession; it’s the plan. 

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FAQs

Who plays for Argentina if Messi doesn’t play at the 2026 World Cup?

Lautaro Martínez becomes the focal point of the attack, with Álvarez taking a more central role alongside him. Almada and Garnacho cover the flanks, while Mac Allister, Fernández, and De Paul carry the creative responsibility from midfield. 

Can Argentina win the 2026 World Cup without Messi?

Argentina has won three of four competitive matches without Messi since 2024, including a 4-1 victory over Brazil, suggesting the squad can function without him. Lautaro’s 17-goal Serie A season and Álvarez’s versatility make a Messi-managed run feasible; a fully Messi-free tournament win would be unprecedented. 

What is Argentina’s starting lineup for the 2026 World Cup?

Scaloni’s expected XI is a 4-3-3: Emi Martínez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernández; Messi, Lautaro Martínez, Álvarez. This assumes Messi is fit and selected from the start, with Scaloni likely to rotate him during the group stage. 

Has Argentina won competitive games without Messi?

Yes, Argentina’s competitive record without Messi since 2024 stands at three wins and one defeat. Results include a 4-1 win over Brazil and a 1-0 win over Uruguay in March 2025 qualifying, and a 2-0 Copa América group win over Peru in 2024.

Who is Argentina’s second-best player at the 2026 World Cup?

By 2025-26 club form, Lautaro Martínez makes the strongest case, the Serie A top scorer with 17 goals despite injury. Álvarez and Mac Allister are the other principal candidates for that distinction heading into the tournament.