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Ángel Di María Steps Back from Argentina's National Team Ahead of World Cup 2026

KVIA•Monday, May 18, 2026 at 3:16 AM•CNN Newsource

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Ángel Di María, a key player for Argentina, will not be part of the squad for the 2026 World Cup in the U.S. after announcing his retirement from international football following the Copa América 2024 victory. The decision was made by Di María himself, who wished to leave the national team on a high note after achieving significant success, including winning the Copa América and the World Cup in Qatar 2022. His absence is notable as he was one of the six current world champions not included in the preliminary list of players released by coach Lionel Scaloni. Di María's contributions to the team have been pivotal, especially in crucial matches, but he chose to conclude his international career after a stellar performance in recent tournaments.

Key Details: • Di María announced his retirement from the national team after the Copa América 2024. • He was not included in the 55-player prelist for the 2026 World Cup. • His last major contributions included victories in the Copa América 2021 and World Cup 2022.

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Lionel ScaloniÁngel Di María

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