SouthernWorldwide.com – Paulo Dybala’s journey with the Argentine national team appears to have drawn to a close.
His name was notably absent from the preliminary 55-man roster submitted by head coach Lionel Scaloni for the 2026 World Cup on Monday.
Scaloni’s decision to proceed without the 32-year-old playmaker strongly suggests this marks the end of Dybala’s tenure with La Albiceleste.
Dybala has not represented Argentina since the latter part of 2024. Although he was part of the squad that secured the World Cup title in Qatar, his role within the team has gradually decreased.
This shift is attributed to a combination of injuries and the rise of emerging younger talents, which have influenced the team’s strategic direction.
Among the players who did make the preliminary list are Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho and Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni.
Prestianni’s inclusion is noteworthy, considering he is currently subject to a global FIFA ban due to his conduct during a Champions League match.
This suspension means he would miss the team’s opening two group stage fixtures against Algeria and Austria, should he be selected for the final squad.
Lionel Messi, the captain of Inter Miami, was included in the 55-man list. However, Messi has not yet officially confirmed his participation in the tournament.
Argentina’s technical staff will now undertake the task of narrowing down this extensive group to the final 26-man squad by the deadline of May 30.
Prior to the tournament, the team is slated to play two warm-up matches in the United States.
Their first friendly will be against Honduras, scheduled for June 6 at Kyle Field, the home ground of Texas A&M.
Following that, they will face Iceland on June 9 at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Argentina has been drawn into Group J for the World Cup.
Their group stage campaign will commence on June 16 with a match against Algeria.
This will be followed by a fixture against Austria on June 22.
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The team will conclude their group stage play against Jordan on June 27.
