ไทย
English
中國人
The post-Lionel Messi era at Argentina has officially begun, with manager Lionel Scaloni appearing committed to ushering in a generational shift at La Albiceleste, omitting veterans like Rodrigo De Paul from his 28-man roster for the upcoming November international fixtures.
The most celebrated chapter in Argentina's footballing history drew to a close the last time Scaloni's squad took the field. After declaring his international retirement ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Messi said goodbye to La Albiceleste in a heartfelt farewell match against Benin to wrap up the September-October international window.
A month on, Scaloni appears ready to turn a new leaf. His own future with the Albiceleste remains unclear—though a contract extension is reportedly just a few details away from being finalized—yet Scaloni is making a concerted effort to hand opportunities to younger talents taking their first steps with the senior national side.
Argentina will host Costa Rica and Uruguay in two friendly matches during the November window. However, they'll do so without the greatest player of all time, as well as the midfield trio that laid the foundation for the Scaloni era's success.
Argentina Squad for November International Window
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Chelsea), Juan Musso (Atlético Madrid), Gerónimo Rulli (Manchester City)
Defenders: Santiago Beltrán (River Plate), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Agustín Giay (Palmeiras), Aaron Anselmino (Chelsea), Mariano Troilo (Parma), Leonardo Balerdi (Roma), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Facundo Medina (Bayer Leverkusen), Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon), Román Vega (Zenit)
Midfielders: Ezequiel Fernández (Bayer Leverkusen), Máximo Perrone (Como 1907), Exequiel Palacios (Ipswich Town), Valentín Barco (Chelsea), Enzo Fernández (Manchester City), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Nicolás Paz (Como 1907)
Forwards: Franco Mastantuono (Fiorentina), Matías Soulé (Roma), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético Madrid), Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica), Thiago Almada (River Plate), José Manuel López (Palmeiras), Santiago Castro (Roma), Julián Álvarez (Atlético Madrid)
De Paul, Lo Celso, Paredes Out of Argentina Squad After Messi Retirement
With Messi's departure from the national team, it seems Scaloni is also moving on from players who were instrumental to Argentina's success since he took charge—players who also formed part of Messi's inner circle both on and off the pitch.
De Paul isn't the only notable omission from the squad. Giovani Lo Celso will also be absent from La Albiceleste's November fixtures. Scaloni's shift away from the pair was hinted at during the most recent window, when both players only traveled and featured in Messi's farewell match against Benin.
Likewise, Leandro Paredes is also missing from the squad. Although the Boca Juniors midfielder is ineligible for Argentina due to a 10-game ban stemming from his involvement in the altercation that followed the 2026 World Cup final defeat, it's widely believed Scaloni would have left him out regardless of his suspension status.
Following Argentina's dismal 2018 World Cup campaign, in which veterans Javier Mascherano, Lucas Biglia, and Éver Banega were exposed in midfield, Scaloni wasted no time reshaping his side, turning to a midfield trio of De Paul, Lo Celso, and Paredes. That trio served as the engine behind Argentina's 2021 Copa América triumph and were consistent contributors throughout the most successful period in the team's history.
Now, much like after the 2018 World Cup, Scaloni is once again changing course. Younger talents such as Valentín Barco and Máximo Perrone—who excelled for Argentina's youth sides—are central to Scaloni's midfield rebuild. So too is Como star Nico Paz, who is developing into a world-class talent in Italy and could emerge as Argentina's next great No. 10.
This crop of young, emerging talents—which also includes Matías Soulé and Gianluca Prestianni—are referred to in Argentina as "Europibes," owing to their moves to European football at a very early age.
With a solid midfield core featuring world-class performers in Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernández, both currently in the peak years of their careers, Scaloni still has a strong platform to build upon.
Argentina's new captain Cristián Romero was ruled out of the November squad through injury, as was striker Lautaro Martínez, paving the way for Thiago Almada to earn a recall to the setup.
Meanwhile, two defenders received their first senior Argentina call-ups. Parma's Mariano Troilo could step in as Romero's replacement, while Chelsea's Aarón Anselmino—yet to feature since preseason—comes in for Nicolás Otamendi, who retired from La Albiceleste alongside Messi.