Twenty-Three Argentines Set for the 2026/27 Champions League League Phase

Twenty-three. That's the number of Argentines who will take the field in the league phase of the 2026/27 Champions League, spread across clubs in England, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Turkey. Almost no other national team can boast such a presence in the world's most important club competition.

Anyone who followed last season's edition already knows the format: the top eight in the league phase advance straight to the round of 16, teams finishing 9th through 24th have to win an extra round to stay alive, and everyone below that heads straight to summer vacation.

From Anfield to Roma, by way of Madrid

Let's start in England. Liverpool, six-time European champions, finished fifth in the 2025/26 Premier League, and Alexis Mac Allister is still there, wearing the number 10 and now a key piece of the Reds' midfield. In Manchester, United has Lisandro Martinez as one of its defensive anchors since arriving in mid-2022, while City, runner-up in the last Premier League, added Geronimo Rulli between the posts and is still waiting on news of a possible loan move for Claudio Echeverri.

Aston Villa also has its share, with no fewer than three Argentines sharing the same locker room: Emiliano Martinez, Emiliano Buendia and Alejandro Garnacho, the latter arriving after his exit from United.

In Italy, Inter, champions of the last Serie A season, have their longtime captain and goal scorer: Lautaro Martinez, the club's top offensive reference. And last season's big surprise, Como, arrive in Europe with two young names who are already undisputed starters: Maximo Perrone and Nico Paz.

Spain, Portugal and Turkey's breakthrough

If there's a club competing with Roma for the title of most "Argentine" side in the tournament, it's Atletico de Madrid. Three-time Champions League runners-up, the Colchoneros field Juan Musso, Julian Alvarez, Giuliano Simeone and Cuti Romero. At Manuel Pellegrini's Real Betis, there's Giovani Lo Celso, who came close to a move this transfer window, and Valentin Gomez, a former youth product and captain at Velez.

Roma matches Atletico's tally of representatives: Nahuel Molina, Paulo Dybala, Matias Soule and Santiago Castro are all part of La Loba's squad. In Portugal, Porto carries two names that resonate strongly back in Argentina: Nehuen Perez, tracked closely by Boca in more than one transfer window, and Alan Varela, a product of the Xeneize academy.

And to close out the list, there's a geographical surprise: Galatasaray, champions of Turkey, will play their league phase with Armando Guner on the roster, an 18-year-old right winger who is shaping up as one of the breakout names to watch this season.