A new double-header of South American World Cup qualifiers is approaching, and some coaches have already announced their squads. Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni, for the upcoming matches against Chile and Colombia, has left Lionel Messi out of the lineup and included several surprises, notably former New York City FC player Taty Castellanos.
The 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, continues its qualification phase in the South American region, with the Argentina national team currently leading the standings, just two points ahead of their closest rivals, Uruguay.
On September 5, at home against Chile, and on September 10, away to Colombia, the reigning world champions will aim to maintain their lead in the qualifiers. As a result, coach Scaloni has unveiled a squad list with several surprises.
Perhaps surprisingly, or not so much for some, Lionel Messi was not included in Argentina’s roster for the September international window. In his place, several attackers with limited experience in the senior Albiceleste squad will be featured in these matches.
Lionel Messi of Argentina reacts before the penalty shootout during the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 quarter-final match between Argentina and Ecuador at NRG Stadium on July 04, 2024 in Houston, Texas.
With the names presented by the coaching staff for these two matches, a gradual transition is beginning to emerge among the Argentine players who have won almost everything in recent years: the World Cup, two Copa Americas, and the Finalissima.
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Taty Castellanos: The big surprise of the call-up
Reviewing the final list of call-ups, several players can be considered surprises. However, one name stands out above the rest, and that is undoubtedly forward Taty Castellanos.
The former New York City FC forward, now playing for Lazio in Italy, has always been highly regarded by the Argentina coaching staff. This time, he will have the opportunity to showcase his talents in these World Cup qualifiers.
Valentín Castellanos has played 47 matches wearing the jersey of the Roman club, delivering standout performances and scoring on numerous occasions.
Valentin Castellanos of SS Lazio celebrates a second goal during the Serie A TIM match between SS Lazio and Atalanta BC at Stadio Olimpico on October 08, 2023 in Rome, Italy.
Other surprises in the squad
Besides the already mentioned surprise call-up of Taty Castellanos, there are other players who were not initially on anyone’s radar and have been included by the Argentine coaching staff.
Ezequiel Fernandez, who recently competed in the Paris 2024 Olympics and was later transferred for a significant fee to Arabian football, is one of the new generation players being considered by Scaloni.
Another name that undeniably stands out as a surprise is Giuliano Simeone, who also participated in the recent Olympics.
Finally, we can also include the already familiar names of Matias Soule, Valentin Barco, and Leonardo Balerdi, who have all been called up previously.
