Later than Spain, Argentina announced its lineup. Lionel Scaloni waited to know Luis de la Fuente’s starting eleven before revealing his starters for the big final. And the current champion has prepared changes to defend the title. The coach makes three changes with the inclusion of Montiel at right back and De Paul and Nico González. None of them started the semifinal against England but all three finished it.
Read more These are the eleven chosen by De la Fuente to compete in the World Cup final
Who could not be missing from the Albiceleste lineup is Leo Messi, team captain and great hero of the national team. The number ten becomes the first footballer in history to start in three World Cup finals. He did so in 2014 against Germany (lost in extra time), he did so four years ago in Qatar against France, where he lifted the Cup in the penalty shootout, and he repeats at MetLife Stadium.
It is a historic eleven because, although several like Pelé, Ronaldo, or Matthäus reached it, until now only Cafú had played three finals (1994, 1998, and 2002) but in the first he entered the field as a substitute.
The biggest victim of the tweaks Scaloni has planned is Leandro Paredes, who is left out from the start because he is not fully fit. However, the benchings of Nahuel Molina and Giuliano Simeone are tactical and technical decisions.
Argentina’s starting eleven in the final is Dibu Martínez, Montiel, Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Tagliafico, De Paul, Enzo Fernández, MacAllister, Nico González, Messi, and Julián Álvarez.
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