Argentina are shifting their tactical puzzle ahead of today’s high-stakes 2026 World Cup semifinal clash against England, with forward Lautaro Martinez surprisingly left out of the starting XI. The Inter Milan star, who came off the bench to secure La Albiceleste’s ticket to Atlanta with a clinical 120th-minute goal against Switzerland in the quarterfinals, will once again begin the match as a substitute.
Manager Lionel Scaloni opted for a strategic shakeup rather than any disciplinary action, keeping Martinez in reserve as a high-impact weapon for later in the match. Having a proven finisher of his caliber ready to inject late energy could prove to be the exact edge Argentina need to break down the English defense, as both nations map out their pathways toward a coveted spot in the World Cup Final.
Martinez has a storied track record of stepping up in defining moments for his country, most notably when he delivered the extra-time winner against Colombia to lift the 2024 Copa America trophy. Follow our live blog of England vs Argentina to get minute-by-minute updates!
The stakes are high today between two lifelong rivals, as what happens today between Argentina and England will determine who plays Spain for the trophy and who faces France for the consolation third-place.
Lautaro Martinez #22 of Argentina looks on during warm up.
Other crucial names expected to start on the bench
The final lineup sheet revealed that Martinez isn’t the only high-profile omission from Scaloni’s standard lineup. Workhorse midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has also been dropped to the bench, with Atletico Madrid’s versatile Giuliano Simeone tapped to fill the massive void in the starting squad.
On the other side of the pitch, England are making notable changes of their own. Bukayo Saka isn’t starting as Morgan Rogers gets the chance to play from the get-go, with Marcus Rashford also benched today.
Martinez’s numbers with Argentina in the 2026 World Cup
Martinez has played a pivotal role for Argentina during the 2026 World Cup. Though often starting on the bench behind Julian Alvarez, the Inter Milan star has embraced his role as Argentina’s ultimate “super-sub,” delivering crucial, late-game contributions to propel La Albiceleste into the semifinals.
These are the stats for Martinez in the World Cup:
- Appearances: 6
- Starts: 4
- Minutes Played: 303
- Goals: 2
- Assists: 1
- Shots on Target: 3
- Passing Accuracy: 81.3% (57/70)
- Yellow Cards: 1
