Lautaro Martínez — Argentina World Cup 2026 Squad

Lautaro Martinez enters 2026 as Argentina's clearest centre-forward in the years after the title in Qatar. He is 28, he plays for Inter Milan, and he has 79 caps and 33 goals, which is the record of a serious international striker rather than a supporting act. Lautaro gives Argentina sharp movement in the box, pressure from the front, and enough variety in his runs to keep centre-backs occupied all game. He can attack the near post, drift across the line, or create room for another runner by dragging the defence with him. That matters now that Argentina's attack is shifting away from the old hierarchy. If they are going to defend the trophy well, they need their main striker to turn good spells into actual leads. Lautaro looks like the man for that job.