Argentina is going with what works. For their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Algeria tonight, head coach Lionel Scaloni has selected Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Rodrigo de Paul as the starting midfield trio. It’s the same core that ran the show in Qatar four years ago.
The Argentine Football Association confirmed the selection on June 13, making official what most observers expected.
The band is back together
Enzo Fernandez, currently at Chelsea, operates as the deep-lying playmaker who dictates tempo.
Mac Allister, plying his trade at Liverpool, brings a different skillset. He’s the box-to-box presence who connects defense to attack, capable of pressing high and arriving late into dangerous positions.
