Lionel Messi and the reigning champions are here in Group J. Argentina is here, and it looks like they got a pretty favorable group. Austria has not been to the World Cup since 1998, Jordan has never been, and Algeria has a couple of big names but doesn’t strike fear into the heart. Let’s take a look at Group I to quickly examine the teams and their chances.

Tuesday, June 16th

Argentina vs. Algeria (10pm EST), Austria vs. Jordan (midnight Tuesday night/Wednesday morning)

Argentina vs. Austria (1pm), Jordan vs. Algeria (11pm)

Jordan vs. Argentina, Algeria vs. Austria (both at 10pm)

The 2022 champions are mostly back. Messi is older (now 38), and a few key names are missing. Ángel Di María retired from international soccer in 2024. Paulo Dybala, Alejandro Garnacho, Franco Mastantuano, Marcos Acuña, and Guido Rodríguez are not here. But most of the core is intact. Messi will be joined in the attack by Julián Alvarez (26, was with Man City, now at Atletico Madrid), and Lautaro Martínez (28, Inter). The midfield boasts Alexis Mac Allister (27, Liverpool), Rodrigo De Paul (now 32, playing with Messi at Inter Miami), Leandro Paredes (31, Boca Juniors), Enzo Fernández (25, Chelsea), and Giovanni Lo Celso (30, Real Betis). The defense includes Cristian Romero (28, Tottenham), Lisandro Martínez (28, Manchester United), and the ageless Nicolás Otamendi (38, Benfica) centrally. Out wide, fullbacks Nico Tagliafico (33, Lyon) and Nahuel Molina (28, Atlético Madrid have returned, plus winning penalty-taker Gonzalo Montiel (29, River Plate). Emi Martínez is still in goal (now 33, still at Aston Villa). And in addition to Julián Alvarez and Nahuel Molina, there are four others from Atlético Madrid: forward Giuliano Simeone (23), midfielder Nicolás González (28), keeper Juan Musso (32), and attacking mid Thiago Almada (25) – Atlanta United fans may remember him.

Manager: Lionel Scaloni

Transfermarkt squad value: €800 million (8th-highest at the World Cup)

Australia is back to the World Cup for the first time since 1998. They are captained by defender David Alaba (33, Real Madrid). Their midfield includes Konrad Laimer (29, Bayern Munich), Xaver Schlager (28, RB Leipzig), and Dortmund duo Marcel Sabitzer (32) and Carney Chukwuemeka (22). Paul Wanner (20) is Sergiño Dest and Ricardo Pepi’s club teammate at PSV. RB Leipzing midfielder Christoph Baumgartner is missing due to injury.

Elo Ranking: 23

Transfermarkt squad value: €232 million (25th at the tournament)

Algeria’s two 21st-century World Cup visits ended in the group phase (2010, “Go Go USA!”) and in the round of 16 (2014). They are captained by former Leicester and Man City winger Riyad Mahrez (now 35, at Al-Ahli). Mahrez is joined in the attack by Amine Gouiri (26, Marseille). Their midfield includes Houssem Aouar (27, Al-Ittihad, formerly with Lyon), Ibrahim Maza (20, Leverkusen), and former Tottenham holding mid Nabil Bentaleb (31, now at Lille). Their defenders include Rayan Aït-Nouri (25, Man City) and Ramy Bensebaini (31, Dortmund). For a bit of fun trivia, one of their goalkeepers is Zinedine Zidane’s son Luca (28, Granada). Former AC Milan holding mid Ismaël Bennacer (28, now at Dinamo Zagreb) was left off the roster.

Transfermarkt squad value: €257 million (23rd at the tournament)

This will be Jordan’s first time at the World Cup. 10 of the players on their squad play in Jordan, and 8 more are in other Middle East leagues, with only one of them in the Saudi Pro League. They also have two players playing in Malaysia and one in South Korea. Forwards Musa Al-Taamari (29, Rennes) and Ibrahim Sabra (20, Lokomotiva Zagreb) are the only players who play for European clubs. Striker Yazan Al-Naimat will miss the World Cup due to injury, a big loss for Jordan. There are 13 players on Argentina’s World Cup whose individual transfer market value is higher than the entire 26-man Jordan squad (Austria and Algeria each have 5 players who also outweigh Jordan’s entire squad).

Transfermarkt squad value: €20 million (lowest at the tournament)

Who will advance from Group J? What matches are most interesting to you? Let us know in the comments.

Manager: Ralf Rangnick (Germany)

Manager: Vladimir Petković (Switzerland)

Manager: Jamal Sellami (Morocco)