The post-Messi era begins: new faces and absences in Argentina's first squad
Argentina have entered a new era. Lionel Scaloni has named his first squad since the legendary Lionel Messi retired from international football, calling up his players for two November friendlies against Uruguay and Costa Rica.
The list threw up a number of surprises. Most notable were the first call-ups of Aaron Anselmino and Mariano Troilo, along with the return of Gonzalo Montiel, while Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso dropped out, as did several key players nursing injuries.
Scaloni's intention is clear: keep rejuvenating the national team and build a group capable of competing all the way to the 2030 World Cup, blending experienced heads with young talent.
Messi officially announced his international retirement on 31 August before taking part in a farewell match against Benin on 6 October. This gathering is therefore the first Argentina undertake without their historic captain since his send-off.
Two surprises and Montiel's return: De Paul and Lo Celso out of the picture
Aaron Anselmino, the 23-year-old Chelsea defender, earns his first call-up to the senior side, having previously turned out for Boca Juniors. Troilo, the 21-year-old Parma defender, also features. He was called up in 2025 for the World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia but never got onto the pitch.
Scaloni, meanwhile, has recalled Gonzalo Montiel, the River Plate defender, after leaving him out of the first squad he picked following the 2026 World Cup last September.
In goal, the Argentine coach kept his four options, chief among them Chelsea's Emiliano Martinez, despite a fractured jaw. Martinez will undergo a medical assessment to determine his situation, with no risk to be taken over playing him unless necessary.
The absences split between injuries and selection calls. There was no place for national team captain Cristian Romero, nor for Lautaro Martinez and Nicolas Gonzalez, all three sidelined by injuries at their clubs.
De Paul and Lo Celso also miss out. Both featured in the previous squad only for Messi's farewell ceremony and have not returned to the group Scaloni is relying on for the new phase.
Youth remains central to the coach's thinking. He has kept a clutch of promising names: Nico Paz, Franco Mastantuono, Valentin Barco, Santiago Castro, Gianluca Prestianni, Matias Soule, Roman Vega and Ezequiel Fernandez, all part of the build-up to the challenges ahead and the 2030 World Cup.
Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina, winners of the 2022 World Cup, remain absent through the sanctions imposed following events in the 2026 World Cup final against Spain.
Paredes has served three of his ten-match ban, Molina three of seven.
The date of Argentina's two matches against Uruguay and Costa Rica
Both matches come on home soil during the November international break. Argentina open with a clash against Uruguay on 13 November at La Bombonera, before closing out against Costa Rica on the 17th at the Mario Alberto Kempes stadium in Cordoba.
Argentina's squad for the matches against Uruguay and Costa Rica
Goalkeepers:
- Emiliano Martinez (Chelsea).
- Geronimo Rulli (Manchester City).
- Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid).
- Santiago Beltran (River Plate).
Defence:
- Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate).
- Agustin Giay (Palmeiras).
- Aaron Anselmino (Chelsea).
- Mariano Troilo (Parma).
- Leonardo Balerdi (Roma).
- Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United).
- Facundo Medina (Bayer Leverkusen).
- Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon).
- Roman Vega (Zenit).
Midfield:
- Ezequiel Fernandez (Bayer Leverkusen).
- Maximo Perrone (Como).
- Exequiel Palacios (Ipswich Town).
- Valentin Barco (Chelsea).
- Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool).
- Enzo Fernandez (Manchester City).
- Nico Paz (Como).
- Matias Soule (Roma).
- Franco Mastantuono (Fiorentina).
- Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid).
- Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica).
- Thiago Almada (River Plate).
Attack:
- Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras).
- Santiago Castro (Roma).
- Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid).
