Argentina was the runner-up at the 2026 World Cup after losing 1-0 to Spain in the final. La Albiceleste struggled to break down Spain’s well-drilled defense, and their chances of lifting the trophy plummeted after Enzo Fernández was sent off in the 94th minute. The game went into extra time, and Ferran Torres ultimately broke Argentinean hearts by firing in a powerful strike. Giuliano Simeone came close to equalizing in the closing stages, but his shot sailed just over the crossbar.
Argentina’s 2026 World Cup recap
Argentina made a flying start to its 2026 World Cup campaign by beating Algeria 3-0 in Kansas City. Captain Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick, and the defense looked comfortable throughout that game. He then scored two more goals in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria on Matchday 2. La Albiceleste were priced at 8.9% to win the World Cup prior to the tournament, but that increased to 14.2% aggregated.
They then beat Jordan 3-1 in their final group stage game. Other results went in Argentina’s favor, so it now has an easier path to the semifinals than any other team at the World Cup. Traders on Polymarket and Kalshi responded by increasing the team’s chances of lifting the trophy to 21.3%, leaving Argentina just behind France as the second favorite. However, Argentina needed extra time to scrape a 3-2 win against Cape Verde in the Round of 32. The defense struggled in that game, so traders responded by reducing Argentina’s World Cup chances to 17.2%.
La Albiceleste were also unconvincing in the Round of 16, but they scraped through after beating Egypt 3-2. The Egyptians complained to FIFA after claiming were “treated unfairly” and “suffered injustice” after some controversial calls from the officials. Egypt were 2-0 up at one point, but manager Hossam Hassan felt it should have been 3-0, as the video assistant referee intervened to rule out Mostafa Zico’s goal. Goals from Cristian Romero and Messi made it 2-2. Hassan thought Egypt should have had a penalty when Mohamed Salah went down in the box, but it wasn’t given, and Argentina surged up the field to score the winning goal in the 94th minute.
“Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition,” said Hassan. “Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running. The world champion received support at every level. There seem to be pressures from the Argentina side on this outcome.”
La Albiceleste then needed extra time to beat 10-man Switzerland in the quarterfinals. The game was delicately poised at 1-1 when Swiss striker Breel Embolo was sent off. Argentina couldn’t find a winner in regulation time, but goals from Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez earned their team a 3-1 win in extra time. It was Messi’s first goalless game at the tournament, but his fellow forwards stepped up. That showed Argentina is by no means a one-man team. Martínez and Álvarez are both outstanding forwards, and their influence has grown as the tournament has unfolded.
Argentina was 1-0 down against England with just 5 minutes left on the clock in the semifinals, but Messi then rolled the ball out to Fernández, who curled in a fierce strike from 25 yards out. England had made a bunch of defensive substitutions in a bid to cling onto its lead, and the Three Lions were on the ropes by that point. Everything was going through Messi, and he assisted the winning goal in the 93rd minute. His pinpoint cross into the box was perfect for the incoming Lautaro Martínez, who headed the ball into an empty net, sparking delirium among the Argentina fans.
La Albiceleste were priced at 42.2% with Kalshi and 41.6% with Polymarket to win the World Cup after beating England, but they came unstuck against a superb Spain team in the final. Manager Lionel Scaloni left the post-match press conference in tears when discussing his future, and it remains to be seen if he will lead the team at Copa América in 2028. Messi may have retired by then, leaving the likes of Álvarez and Martínez to take up the mantle.
Key players for Argentina
Argentina lacks the depth of Spain and France, as La Albiceleste are reliant on a handful of key players. These are the players that starred at the World Cup:
- Lionel Messi: Many experts agree that Messi is the greatest player of all time after he inspired Argentina to the World Cup in 2022. He’s now 39 years old, but he continues to thrive on the biggest stage. Messi scored eight goals and provided four assists in eight games at the 2026 World Cup, but he couldn’t get his team over the line in the final.
- Julián Álvarez: Álvarez emerged as Messi’s preferred partner in attack during the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup. He made a slow start to the tournament, but he scored a magnificent goal in the 3-1 win against Switzerland in the quarterfinals.
- Emiliano Martinez: The Aston Villa goalkeeper was the hero of Argentina’s penalty shootout victory over France in 2022. He has won the Yashin Trophy (world’s best goalkeeper) twice, and he always seems to raise his game for La Albiceleste, but he looked distraught after they lost to Spain in the final.
- Alexis Mac Allister: The composed, industrious midfielder was another star of Argentina’s 2026 World Cup campaign. He scored a vital goal against Switzerland, and he was also excellent against England in the semifinals.
- Cristian Romero: The defense is Argentina’s weak spot. Nicolas Otamendi is well past his best, and Lisandro Martínez struggles in the air, so Argentina was heavily reliant on Romero. He delivered several excellent performances at the 2026 World Cup, and he also scored crucial goals against Cape Verde and Egypt.
Where to bet on Argentina at future tournaments
Kalshi and Polymarket have the widest array of markets on Argentina’s games. You can bet on La Albiceleste winning Copa América in 2028, and you’ll also be able to buy contracts on the team or reaching a certain stage. Prediction sites will offer a huge range of markets on each Argentina game too. They include the moneyline, total goals, spreads, both teams to score, the first team to score, player props, and much more.