Lionel Messi's Absence Crushes Argentina's Hopes—Both On and Off the Field

Argentina fell 2–1 to Uruguay in the team's first outing since Lionel Messi's emotional international retirement, though coach Lionel Scaloni noted that "there are different ways to lose."

The commanding performance his squad put in despite the defeat didn't concern the World Cup-winning coach. What did raise eyebrows, however, was the sight of the largely empty stands that greeted Scaloni and his players on Friday.

When Argentina said goodbye to the country's greatest-ever footballer last month in a farewell friendly against Benin, the 85,000-capacity Monumental was packed to the rafters. Yet just a month later, even the allure of a high-profile clash against fierce rivals Uruguay could only draw around 24,000 fans to the 58,000-capacity La Bombonera, according to local outlet Clarín.

It's believed Argentina's national team hasn't faced such vast stretches of empty seats in their own capital since November 2011, when Messi was still viewed with skepticism rather than the near-divine reverence he commands today.

If Scaloni assumed his biggest challenge would be replacing the record-setting contributions Messi made on the field, Friday's defeat exposed an equally pressing issue waiting in the stands.

Argentina Unlucky in Messi-Less Loss

"It was a solid match regardless of the scoreline; we played well in the second half," Scaloni argued, with some merit. After a goalless first 45 minutes, Uruguay grabbed a surprise lead through a calamitous own goal. Lisandro Martínez's attempt to clear a set piece saw the ball ricochet off the back of an unsuspecting Leonardo Balerdi's head.

From another dead-ball situation, Maxi Araújo somehow looped Giorgian De Arrascaeta's corner over Gerónimo Rulli. Argentina's backup goalkeeper might have done better but was thrown off by the bizarre flight of a ball that deflected off the back of Araújo's neck rather than his head.

Match Stats

Stats via FotMob.

"We controlled the game from beginning to end, regardless of the fortunate goals they scored," Manchester City's Enzo Fernández reasonably contended. Argentina clearly dominated the attacking statistics, exploiting the space that opened up as Uruguay sat back.

"We had a clear opportunity in the first half and several more after the break," Scaloni lamented. "We had nothing to show for it."

Wayward finishing is part of this unpredictable sport—particularly when the most lethal striker of his generation is absent. But this week also served as a stark reminder of just how fickle supporters can be.

Messi Not the Only Reason Why There Were So Few Fans

"I haven't shifted a single jersey, even though I'm selling them for 15,000 pesos [$9.70]," one street vendor told Clarín ahead of Friday's match against Uruguay. "At least I live just a few blocks away, so I didn't have to travel far like some of the others."

More than half of Boca Juniors' iconic home stadium remained empty by the time Argentina kicked off. Reports suggest that up to 10,000 additional fans were let in through open turnstiles — without tickets — simply to fill some of the vacant seats. It was still an embarrassing spectacle.

The absence of Messi was undeniably a factor, but it wasn't the only one at play this week.

Those who did purchase tickets had to spend a minimum of 95,000 pesos ($61), with some reserved seats costing as much as 140,000 pesos ($91). The prospect of watching the greatest player of all time had been enough to justify the steep prices set by a deeply controversial Argentine football federation, which is now facing a public backlash.

Without their footballing icon, fans may also have been drawn away by the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Argentina during the same week.

Scaloni acknowledged the drop in support without descending into pessimism. "As for the fans, they'll come back to support us, even without him [Messi]," the manager said confidently. "It's on us to get the supporters excited again."