14/06/2026 19:28 - Deportes
Estadio de fútbol iluminado de noche con ambiente de Copa del Mundo, banderas de Argentina y Argelia en las gradas
The 2026 World Cup will begin for Argentina on June 16 at 22:00 local time at Kansas City Stadium, and the pre-match figures reveal a historic economic gap between both teams.
According to data compiled by Ámbito, the complete squad of the Argentina National Team has a market value of USD 924.5 million, positioning it as the seventh most expensive squad in the tournament. Meanwhile, Algeria totals just USD 296.6 million, placing it among the most affordable squads in the World Cup.
The difference between both teams reaches USD 628 million, an abysmal distance that reflects the level of the leagues where their stars play and the current form of each player.
| National Team | Player | Club | Value (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Julián Álvarez | Manchester City | $115 million |
| Argentina | Enzo Fernández | Chelsea | $103 million |
| Argentina | Lautaro Martínez | Inter Milan | $98 million |
| Algeria | Ibrahim Maza | Bayer Leverkusen | $53 million |
| Algeria | Rayan Aït-Nouri | Manchester City | $46 million |
| Algeria | Amine Gouiri | Olympique Marseille | $32 million |
Despite Riyad Mahrez being Algeria's biggest figure and captain, his market value is only USD 5.8 million. This is because the player currently plays for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, a league that doesn't carry the same weight in the transfer market as Europe's top leagues.
Mahrez, a former Manchester City star, will be one of the main weapons for the "Desert Foxes" (Algeria's nickname) as they attempt to surprise La Scaloneta.
At the other end, the lowest-valued player in Algeria's squad is Melvin Mastil, third goalkeeper, valued at USD 289,000. The player is part of Stade Nyonnais in the Swiss second division.
Meanwhile, Argentina's least expensive player is Nicolás Otamendi, valued at USD 1.1 million, who recently signed with River Plate after leaving Benfica of Portugal as a free agent.
Rafik Belghali, right-back for Hellas Verona and the Algerian national team, made bold statements just hours before the debut. Speaking to Foot Mercato, the defender said: "Argentina is a team like any other, and we must prepare for them like any other team. We're going to do everything possible to win."
"Just because it's Argentina doesn't mean we should be afraid. We have every capability to win the match."
The player, born in Belgium but who chose to play for Algeria as a "decision of the heart," highlighted the group's confidence: "From the beginning, we told ourselves we could go all the way. We came here to win."
Date: June 16, 2026
Time: 22:00 (Argentina local time)
Stadium: Kansas City Stadium
Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland)
Argentina FIFA Ranking: #1 with 1877.27 points
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Note: Marciniak was the referee for the Qatar 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France.
The 2026 World Cup is the first tournament featuring 48 teams and 104 matches, hosted across three countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Argentina arrives as reigning champion after winning Qatar 2022 and leads the FIFA rankings. Lionel Messi, Argentina's iconic captain and widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, leads the team in pursuit of their fourth World Cup title.
About La Scaloneta: This nickname refers to Argentina's national team under coach Lionel Scaloni, who led them to victory in the 2022 World Cup and the 2021 Copa América. The term combines "Scaloni" with "bicicleta" (bicycle), referencing a popular Argentine card game.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
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