Scaloni surprised with several new faces in the Argentina National Team's preliminary squad.

Lionel Scaloni announced the preliminary list of drafts for the Argentina National Team for the World Cup Qualifiers against Venezuela and Ecuador in September. Beyond the stellar presence of Lionel Messi, who could play his last minutes for points with La Albiceleste, the roster was marked by surprises.

The most notable is the first draft for José Manuel López, forward for Palmeiras, age 24. Former top scorer for Lanús, he is having a great season in Brazil with 15 goals in 42 matches. His inclusion positions him as an offensive option to replace Valentín Castellanos (Lazio).

However, it was not the only new development: Julio Soler (Bournemouth), Alan Varela (Porto), Claudio Echeverri (Manchester City), and Valentín Carboni (Genoa) also appear on the list. Enzo Fernández (suspended), Valentín Barco, and Nicolás Domínguez were left out compared to the previous draft.

Carboni's return is especially significant, since he returns to the National Team after almost a year following a serious ligament injury in his knee. Now fully recovered, he has already shown flashes of his talent with a stunning goal in his debut for Genoa.

Additionally, Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuña, currently at River, reappear on the list and will be, along with Leandro Paredes, the only representatives of Argentine soccer. Meanwhile, Scaloni reaffirmed his confidence in Franco Mastantuono, the new signing for Real Madrid and a gem who has already made history with La Albiceleste.

Argentina National Team's upcoming World Cup Qualifiers

La Albiceleste will face Venezuela on September 4 at Más Monumental and then visit Ecuador on September 9 in Guayaquil, in two matches that will serve to test alternatives ahead of the 2026 World Cup.