Argentina hosts Uruguay at La Bombonera on Friday for the first of two friendlies of the November FIFA window, a Rio de la Plata Clasico that will be played without Lionel Messi. The match also opens a new stage for the national team under Lionel Scaloni, who recently renewed his contract through 2030.
The reason Messi is not included is simple: he is no longer a member of the national team. The captain announced his retirement on Aug. 31, and the federation later brought him back for one final farewell. That goodbye came on Oct. 6 at the Monumental against Benin, in a 3-0 win in which he scored a penalty and set up the other two goals.
Messi left as the most-capped player (208) and the all-time top scorer (126 goals) in the history of the team, after a 21-year career. In the emotional aftermath of that night, he acknowledged what it meant to take off the shirt. “Not coming any more is going to hurt a lot. I swear, I’d love to keep coming my whole life, because playing for Argentina is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you,” he said.
In this way, Argentina begins a new era without the player who led the team for more than 20 years. The positive for Argentine fans is that Scaloni will lead this new stage after renewing his contract for four more years.
Messi is not the only absence for Argentina
Scaloni will also have to rebuild his plans around several injuries. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, defender Cristian Romero, and forward Lautaro Martinez are all unavailable for the match, a trio that has been a fixture of the team in recent years.
In their absence, Geronimo Rulli is expected to start in goal and wear the captain’s armband, as Scaloni made clear in his press conference. “In principle, if Emiliano (Martinez) is there, he will be the captain. And if he is not, the captain will be Geronimo (Rulli) because he deserves it. He is a respected guy and has been with us from the very first moment,” the coach explained.
The probable lineup features Agustin Giay, Leonardo Balerdi, Lisandro Martinez, and Facundo Medina in defense, Exequiel Palacios, Enzo Fernandez, and Alexis Mac Allister in midfield, while Nico Paz, Julian Alvarez, and Gianluca Prestianni will lead the attack.
With so many changes, the friendly becomes a first test for a team that has to learn how to play without some of its usual leaders, which gives younger names like Paz and Prestianni the chance to take on bigger roles.