Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni acknowledges strong World Cup title chances

Lionel Scaloni isn’t exactly known for bold proclamations. The understated Argentine coach typically lets his team’s results do the talking. But ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he’s made something close to a declaration: this squad is as good as, or better than, the one that lifted the trophy in Qatar.

Scaloni’s case for a repeat

In recent interviews, Scaloni has positioned Argentina among 10 to 12 teams with a realistic shot at the title. He considers winning the tournament again “very possible,” while acknowledging the obvious difficulty of defending a World Cup crown. Only two nations in history have managed back-to-back titles, which gives you a sense of the mountain Argentina is trying to climb.

The 26-man squad for the tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, was officially unveiled around May 28-29. Lionel Messi, who will captain the side in what is widely expected to be his final World Cup appearance, was included. In a 3-0 friendly victory over Iceland on June 9, Messi came off the bench and scored a penalty.

Opta’s data models currently give Argentina a 10.4% chance of winning the tournament. That places them as serious contenders, though not outright favorites. Spain holds higher odds in those projections. There are 48 teams competing in the expanded 2026 format.

The Messi factor and fan token markets

His move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 famously coincided with a surge in PSG’s fan token. His presence at Inter Miami has generated similar ripple effects in the broader sports-crypto ecosystem.

Yet as of now, there are no specific crypto initiatives or partnerships tied to Argentina’s current World Cup squad or Scaloni’s comments. No new fan token launches. No blockchain-based ticketing announcements. No NFT drops commemorating the squad reveal.

During the 2022 cycle, the overlap between World Cup hype and crypto speculation was intense. Fan tokens for national teams and clubs saw wild price swings driven more by tournament narratives than underlying utility. Fan tokens have broadly underperformed since their 2021-2022 peak. Many investors who bought into World Cup hype last cycle were left holding depreciating assets once the tournament ended and attention moved elsewhere.

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