Road to World Cup 2026: The Contenders (5): Argentina — The Champions’ Burden

By Chris Osa Nehikhare

Winning the World Cup is difficult.

Defending it is even harder.

That is the challenge facing Argentina.

When the 2026 World Cup begins, every nation will carry dreams.

Every nation will carry hope.

Every nation will carry expectations.

Argentina will carry something else.

A target.

Because when you are the defending champions, every opponent wants to be the team that brings you down.

That is the privilege and the burden of wearing the crown.

Four years ago, Argentina arrived in Qatar carrying the weight of a nation and the hopes of a footballing icon.

The question dominating every conversation was simple: Could Lionel Messi finally win the one trophy that had eluded him throughout his extraordinary career?

By the time the tournament ended, the answer had become part of football history.

Messi lifted the trophy.

The greatest football story of modern times reached its perfect conclusion.

Or so we thought.

Because football rarely stands still.

And now Argentina returns with a different challenge.

Not chasing glory.

Defending it.

The fascinating aspect of this Argentine squad is that it no longer depends entirely on Lionel Messi.

That statement would have sounded impossible a decade ago.

Today, however, Argentina possesses world-class talent across the pitch.

Emiliano Martínez remains one of football’s great tournament goalkeepers.

Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martínez bring aggression, leadership and resilience at the back.

Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernández control matches with intelligence and composure.

Rodrigo De Paul remains the emotional engine of the team.

Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez provide goals, movement and relentless energy.

Messi remains the symbol.

But this team is no longer carried by one man.

For the first time in many years, opponents cannot focus solely on stopping Messi.

Because danger exists everywhere.

That reality makes Argentina more complete than many people realise.

One of the great strengths of Lionel Scaloni’s reign has been his ability to build a team rather than a collection of stars.

Football history is littered with talented squads that never became champions because they lacked chemistry.

Argentina possesses chemistry in abundance.

Every player understands the responsibility that comes with wearing the famous blue and white shirt.

That unity helped them win the World Cup.

It remains one of their most powerful weapons.

There is another advantage that few teams can match.

Experience.

Many members of this squad have already walked through football’s most intense pressure.

They have played World Cup finals.

They have survived penalty shootouts.

They have faced elimination matches where a single mistake could have ended everything.

Those experiences create confidence.

The certainty that difficult moments can be overcome.

The certainty that no challenge is too great.

Most teams spend years searching for that belief.

Argentina already possesses it.

Yet history offers a warning.

Defending champions rarely enjoy an easy journey.

Every opponent studies them.

Every opponent raises its performance level.

Every opponent dreams of becoming the team that ends the champion’s reign.

The hunger that drives a team to its first triumph is difficult to replicate.

Success creates expectations.

Expectations create pressure.

Pressure creates doubt.

That is the challenge facing Scaloni.

Can he convince his players that one World Cup is not enough?

Can he reignite the hunger that carried them to glory?

Can Argentina remain hunters after becoming champions?

The answers to those questions may determine whether this campaign ends in celebration or disappointment.

What makes Argentina so fascinating is that they are not necessarily the most talented squad in the tournament.

France may possess greater depth.

Spain may possess greater technical balance.

Brazil may possess greater flair.

Yet Argentina possesses something every contender covets.

Proof.

Proof that they can do it.

Proof that they have done it.

Proof that when the pressure reaches its highest point, they know how to respond.

That certainty is priceless.

As the tournament approaches, one question remains.

Can Argentina become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend a World Cup title?

It is a difficult task.

History tells us so.

But if any team in this competition possesses the mentality, chemistry and experience to achieve it, Argentina belongs near the front of the queue.

They arrive carrying two powerful weapons.

The memory of what it takes to become champions.

And the belief that it can happen again.

Most teams spend their lives chasing certainty.

Argentina already possesses it.

And that makes them dangerous.

Very dangerous.

My Verdict

Attack: 9.5/10

Midfield: 9.5/10

Defence: 9/10

Goalkeeping: 10/10

Team Chemistry: 10/10

Champion’s Mentality: 10/10

Overall Rating: 9.5/10

Prediction

Quarter-Final minimum.

Semi-Final very likely.

A genuine contender to retain the World Cup.

Tomorrow

Brazil — Samba’s Search for Redemption.