Lionel Scaloni sends warning to Argentina squad ahead of 2026 World Cup selection

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has warned his players that their performances will be the decisive factor in his final selection for the 2026 World Cup.

La Albiceleste will head to North America this summer with hopes of retaining the trophy they won in Qatar in 2022.

Their preparations have been less-than-ideal so far, considering they have played teams outside the top 80 of the FIFA World Rankings in their last three matches.

Argentina were due to test themselves against European champions Spain in the Finalissima in Qatar, but the match was cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East and the failure to agree on an alternative venue.

As a result, Argentina hurriedly organised friendlies against Mauritania and Zambia, who are ranked 115th and 91st in the world respectively.

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Argentina boss fires World Cup selection warning

Scaloni's side underwhelmed in Friday's 2-1 victory over Mauritania in the penultimate match before the Argentina boss names his World Cup squad.

Having already selected a 55-man preliminary list for the World Cup, Scaloni insists that he will prioritise performance levels over any other factor when he names his final 26-man squad for the tournament.

“We have already submitted the 55-man list to the AFA, which they will then have to pass on to FIFA," Scaloni said as relayed by World Soccer Talk.

"As for the final 26, in terms of percentages, we are over the limit. We’ll have to start cutting players based on performance.“

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"We will take action" - Scaloni

The Argentina head coach has suggested he could take the performances from the unconvincing win over Mauritania into account when he makes his final selection. 

“There’s no other way, and the match the other day might have been a warning sign, or just a one-off," Scaloni added.

"But these are things that, as a coach, you take note of. The final decision will be made at the end.

“What matters most is the team. We will think about the good of the team, and based on that, we will make decisions. 

"I have the list fairly clear in my head, but if performances aren’t up to par, we will take action."

Argentina will be hoping to put in a strong display in Tuesday's friendly against Zambia at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires.

Lionel Messi will feature in the starting lineup after settling for a role as a half-time substitute on Friday.