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MAKASSAR - Argentina, the reigning World Cup champions, are once again being tipped as favourites to lift the trophy.

Head of the South Sulawesi Public Welfare Bureau (Kesra), Andi Munawir, has placed his bet on La Albiceleste to clinch another World Cup title.

“Several teams have strong squads, but personally, I still favour Argentina. I’m backing Argentina this time,” said Andi Munawir when contacted on Sunday (31 May 2026).

Argentina arrive at this quadrennial tournament with the same core squad that triumphed in Qatar 2022.

Seventeen players from that World Cup–winning team have been called up again by coach Lionel Scaloni.

“Argentina are the defending champions, and I’m a fan. Besides being the title holders, this might be Lionel Messi’s last World Cup, and he’s surrounded by a great mix of players,” he added.

The senior players include Emiliano Martinez, Geronimo Rulli, Nicolas Tagliafico, Gonzalo Montiel, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, and Nicolas Otamendi.

Other key names are Nahuel Medina, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Exequiel Palacios, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez, Lionel Messi, Thiago Almada, and Lautaro Martinez.

At 38, Lionel Messi is widely expected to play his final World Cup tournament.

Many of Argentina’s players remain integral to top European clubs.

Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez recently led his team to another Scudetto title.

Lautaro featured in 30 matches, registering 17 goals and 6 assists.

Argentina also have Julian Alvarez to rely on.

The Atletico Madrid striker played 29 La Liga matches, contributing 8 goals and 4 assists.

Star man Lionel Messi remains in lethal form. In 2026, he has made 14 appearances for Inter Miami, scoring 12 goals and providing 7 assists.

“I hope Messi can end his career with something memorable,” Andi Munawir, affectionately known as Andi Wiwin, remarked.

He also noted that some emerging players could boost Argentina’s chances of retaining the title.

Among them are Como 1907’s young talent Nico Paz and RC Strasbourg’s Valentin Barco.

Andi Wiwin also cautioned that other national teams could pose serious challenges.

“For example, France have a very deep squad, especially with Paris Saint-Germain recently crowned champions. France are definitely one of the favourites,” he said.

“Spain too — in several tournaments, they consistently make it out of the group stage and have an exceptional squad,” he continued.

France’s team draws strength from PSG stars such as Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue, Warren Zaire-Emery, and Lucas Hernandez.

Other standout names include Michael Olise of Bayern Munich, William Saliba of Arsenal, and Jules Kounde of Barcelona.

And, of course, Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe remains their biggest weapon.

Spain, meanwhile, boast a glittering lineup featuring young sensation Lamine Yamal, making his World Cup debut.

In midfield, Spain have Barcelona’s Pedri, Gavi, Ferran Torres, and Dani Olmo.

“If both teams make it to the knockout stages, a clash between Argentina and Spain would be incredibly tight,” he explained.

Andi Wiwin also warned against underestimating Portugal.

Portugal’s squad is packed with stars — the midfield features Vitinha, Joao Neves, Bruno Fernandes, and Bernardo Silva.

At the back, they can depend on strong defenders like Ruben Dias and Diogo Dalot.

“Their star-studded lineup, combined with experienced players like Ronaldo and Leao, gives Portugal an extra edge,” Andi Wiwin said.

He also acknowledged that other nations such as England and the Netherlands cannot be overlooked.

However, in his view, neither of those teams have yet reached Argentina’s level.

“This World Cup will be very competitive. With the rise of young players making an impact, this year’s tournament will definitely be thrilling. I believe the World Cup will deliver a spectacular show,” he concluded.

Argentina Squad for the 2026 World Cup:
Goalkeepers

Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Geronimo Rulli (Olympique Marseille)
Juan Musso (Atletico de Madrid)

Defenders

Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille)
Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon)
Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate)
Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United)
Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica)
Facundo Medina (Olympique Marseille)
Nahuel Medina (Atletico de Madrid)

Midfielders

Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors)
Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami)
Valentin Barco (Racing Strasbourg)
Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis)
Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea)

Forwards

Julian Alvarez (Atletico de Madrid)
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
Nico Gonzalez (Atletico de Madrid)
Thiago Almada (Atletico de Madrid)
Giuliano Simeone (Atletico de Madrid)
Nico Paz (Como)
Juan Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras)
Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)

Report by Faqih Imtiyaaz