Crown and Crescent: Argentina Begins Title Defense Against Algeria in Kansas City
Line-ups 🇦🇷 ARG 4-4-2 🇩🇿 ALG 4-3-3
Coach: Lionel Scaloni
Starting XI
- 23 Emiliano Martínez G
- 4 Gonzalo Montiel D
- 13 Cristian Romero D
- 6 Lisandro Martínez D
- 25 Facundo Medina D
- 7 Rodrigo De Paul M
- 20 Alexis Mac Allister M
- 24 Enzo Fernández M
- 16 Thiago Almada M
- 10 Lionel Messi F
- 22 Lautaro Martínez F
Substitutes
- 26 Nahuel Molina D
- 15 Nicolás González F
- 9 Julián Alvarez F
- 19 Nicolás Otamendi D
- 18 Nico Paz F
- 1 Juan Musso G
- 12 Gerónimo Rulli G
- 3 Nicolás Tagliafico D
- 2 Marcos Senesi D
- 5 Leandro Paredes M
- 8 Valentín Barco M
- 11 Giovani Lo Celso M
- 14 Exequiel Palacios M
- 17 Giuliano Simeone F
- 21 José Manuel López F
Coach: Vladimir Petkovic
Starting XI
- 23 Luca Zidane G
- 17 Rafik Belghali D
- 2 Aïssa Mandi D
- 21 Ramy Bensebaini D
- 15 Rayan Aït-Nouri D
- 14 Hicham Boudaoui M
- 19 Nabil Bentaleb M
- 22 Ibrahim Maza M
- 11 Anis Hadj Moussa F
- 9 Amine Gouiri F
- 10 Farès Chaïbi F
Substitutes
- 8 Houssem Aouar M
- 7 Riyad Mahrez F
- 18 Mohamed Amoura F
- 20 Adil Boulbina F
- 6 Ramiz Zerrouki M
- 1 Melvin Mastil G
- 16 Oussama Benbot G
- 3 Achref Abada D
- 4 Mohamed Amine Tougai D
- 5 Zineddine Belaïd D
- 13 Jaouen Hadjam D
- 26 Samir Chergui D
- 24 Yacine Titraoui M
- 12 Nadhir Benbouali F
- 25 Farès Ghedjemis F
Argentina enters the 2026 World Cup not just as favorites, but as the benchmark of international football. Under Lionel Scaloni, La Albiceleste has evolved beyond a mere support system for Lionel Messi, developing a rigid defensive spine and a fluid midfield that thrives on possession and quick verticality. Their qualifying run through South America was a masterclass in efficiency, signaling that the reigning champions have no intention of surrendering their throne easily.
Algeria returns to the world stage with the intent of reclaiming their status as Africa’s most technical side. Now led by Vladimir Petković, Les Fennecs have moved toward a more structured approach without sacrificing the desert-fox flair that defines their attacking play. Facing the world champions in their opening fixture is a gargantuan task, but Algeria’s history is defined by giant-killing performances and a refusal to be intimidated by pedigree.
Head to head
Matches between Argentina and Algeria are exceedingly rare, with their most iconic encounter being a 2007 friendly in Barcelona where Argentina won 4-3 in a thriller that featured a young Lionel Messi. While Argentina boasts three World Cup titles, Algeria’s pedigree is highlighted by their 1982 victory over West Germany and their 2014 run where they pushed eventual champions Germany to extra time in the Round of 16.
Players to watch
The captain remains the undisputed architect of the Argentinian attack, seeking to add to his record-breaking goal and cap tallies.
Algeria’s captain provides the elite technical skill and big-match experience required to unsettle high-level defenses.
His role as the midfield metronome is crucial for maintaining the tempo and feeding the creative players ahead of him.
His ability to win back possession and initiate transitions will be vital in stemming the tide of Argentinian pressure.
Fun facts
- Arrowhead Stadium holds the Guinness World Record for the loudest stadium crowd ever recorded at 142.2 decibels.
- Lionel Messi was only 19 years old when he scored twice against Algeria in their previous meeting in 2007.
- Algeria was the first African nation to win two matches in a single World Cup tournament in 1982.
- This match marks the first time a FIFA World Cup fixture has been played in the state of Missouri.
- The 2026 tournament is the first time the World Cup has expanded to 48 teams, making Group J a historic new addition to the format.