TEAM GUIDES — GROUP J: Argentina title defence starts with what should be a straightforward task in Group J

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Lionel Messi and his teammates come into the tournament as one of the favourites to win not just Group J, but the whole tournament after a seamless qualification campaign. They are of course the reigning world champions after success in Qatar four years ago.

ArgentinaThe planThe holders arrive at the World Cup with a squad that knows each other almost by heart but perhaps not with its players in peak physical condition – several had injury setbacks at the end of a very demanding season with their clubs. If everyone is fit, the coach will field many of the same players who were crowned champions in Qatar, with the exception of Ángel Di María, who no longer plays for the national team.

Lionel Scaloni’s plan is to keep the 4-3-3 formation, with a solid defence featuring two centre-backs and two attacking fullbacks, plus dynamic midfielders with excellent passing. Lionel Messi leads the charge once more, supported by the formidable Julián Alvarez and Thiago Almada, who could be the breakout star. The squad remains about 75% the same as in 2022, but also includes some promising young players such as Nico Paz, who has been in excellent form at Como. They will also have established stars like Lautaro Martínez, who aims to be in peak condition for this World Cup: something he couldn’t achieve in Qatar.

“It will be a very complex and difficult World Cup. We have to prepare the players because what’s coming is going to be tough; you can’t always win,” said Scaloni, who has a lot of confidence in the group, but also knows the difficulty of trying to replicate the success of his brilliant eight-year cycle (which has already yielded three major trophies). “This shirt is demanding. The fans want to see a team that plays good football on the pitch. From there, we know that the best team doesn’t always win,” said the coach who led Argentina to their third star.

Qualifying was a breeze, Argentina finishing top of the Conmebol section, nine points ahead of second-placed Ecuador. It also included a first-ever World Cup qualifying win in Brazil.

Lionel Scaloni became a world champion coach in 2022 and has also won two Copa América titles. Despite lacking the prestige of coaches such as César Luis Menotti or Carlos Bilardo, he quickly became the most successful coach in Argentina’s history and a beloved figure thanks to his humble personality and close relationship with the players. After serving as Jorge Sampaoli’s assistant during the 2018 World Cup, the president of the Argentinian federation, Claud