Argentina
The story
Defending champions arrive on the heels of back-to-back Copa América titles, having dominated CONMEBOL qualifying with the league's best defense and an emerging generation behind Messi.
How they got here
Clinched top spot in CONMEBOL with two matchdays remaining, finishing 12 points clear.
Expectations
Heavy favorites. Anything short of the semifinals would be a disappointment in Lionel Scaloni's final cycle with this golden core.
Manager & key players
Group J
Upcoming matches
Latest news & commentary
updated daily- Aug 1Squad
Lionel Scaloni is weighing a 26-player list with two uncapped call-ups pushing for late inclusion.
- Jul 30Build-up
Argentina take on a friendly opponent at home next week — a final dress rehearsal before the tournament window opens.
- Jul 28Form
Argentina have lost just one of their last ten competitive fixtures heading into the tournament.
- Jul 26Fan
Ticket allocations for Argentina's opener were oversubscribed in under an hour, federation officials confirmed.
- Jul 24Injury
Lionel Messi trained without restriction on Tuesday and is expected to be available for the opener.