Julian Alvarez or Lautaro Martinez? Scaloni faces Argentina’s World Cup striking dilemma

World champions Argentina begin their title defense overnight Tuesday to Wednesday at 4:00 a.m. in Kansas City against Algeria, but the biggest question around Lionel Scaloni’s team is who will start at center forward. Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez are both in strong form, creating a difficult decision for the coach.

Alvarez had looked like the clear favorite since breaking into the lineup at the Qatar World Cup, largely because of his mobility and relentless pressing, qualities that complemented Lionel Messi. He also delivered a solid club season for Atletico Madrid, scoring 20 goals in 49 appearances despite a slight midwinter drought.

Martinez, meanwhile, arrives after an excellent season with Inter, where he won the Italian double, Serie A and the Coppa Italia, and scored 22 goals. He also finished as top scorer at the most recent Copa America with five goals, including the winner in the final, but started only two matches there as Scaloni usually preferred Alvarez.

During the 2025 World Cup qualifiers, recurring Messi injuries pushed Scaloni to strengthen midfield with Leandro Paredes and Thiago Almada, leaving room for only one striker, usually Alvarez. Martinez was also hampered by muscle injuries that caused him to miss key matches. This time, though, the situation has flipped at the most sensitive moment. Alvarez suffered a severe ankle sprain in his left ankle during the Champions League semifinal, played on an injection, and missed Argentina’s latest warm-up games, although he has since returned to full training. Martinez used that absence well, appeared fresher physically, and scored a penalty in the recent friendly against Honduras.

In Argentina, the expectation is that if both strikers are fully fit, Alvarez still has a slight edge in Scaloni’s rotation. But given their current physical condition, Martinez’s chances of starting against Algeria have risen sharply. The answer will come tomorrow night.