Alvarez or Lautaro? Scaloni Faces a World Cup Selection Dilemma

World champion Argentina begins its title defense in the early hours of Wednesday, when it faces Algeria in Kansas City at 4:00 a.m. The main pre-match question is who will lead the attack for Lionel Scaloni, Julian Alvarez or Lautaro Martinez, both of whom are in strong form and have created a difficult decision for the coach.

Alvarez had long seemed to have the edge after becoming a regular during the Qatar World Cup, largely because of his mobility and relentless pressing, qualities that fit Lionel Messi well. His last season at Atletico Madrid was also solid, with 20 goals in 49 appearances despite a brief winter dry spell. Martinez, meanwhile, comes off an excellent individual season at Inter, where he helped win the Italian double, Serie A and the Italian Cup, and scored 22 goals.

At the 2024 Copa America, Martinez finished as top scorer with five goals, including the winner in the final, but started only two matches while Alvarez was preferred for most of the tournament. During 2025 World Cup qualifiers, repeated Messi injuries led Scaloni to reinforce midfield with Leandro Paredes and Thiago Almada, leaving room for a lone striker, usually Alvarez, while Martinez dealt with muscle injuries that cost him key matches.

This time the situation has flipped at the most sensitive moment. Alvarez suffered a severe left ankle sprain in a Champions League semifinal, played on with an injection, and missed Argentina’s latest warm-up matches. He has since returned to full training and is not considered at risk, but Martinez used the absence to gain ground, arriving fresher and scoring a penalty against Honduras in the last friendly. Argentine media believe Alvarez still holds a slight edge when both are fully fit, but for now Martinez’s chances are rising sharply ahead of the lineup against Algeria. The answer will come Thursday night in Israel time.