Argentina will begin life in the post-Lionel Messi era with friendlies against Uruguay and Costa Rica during the final FIFA international window of the year in November.
The three-time world champions will face Uruguay in the latest edition of the Rio de la Plata derby in Buenos Aires on November 13, with La Bombonera reportedly set to host the encounter. The Estadio Unico in La Plata remains an alternative venue, although it is still undergoing renovations.
Argentina will then take on Costa Rica at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Cordoba on November 17, returning to a venue where they defeated Bolivia during their previous tour.
The two fixtures will mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Albiceleste following Messi’s emotional farewell from the national team in a friendly against Benin at the Monumental Stadium earlier this month. The legendary forward brought his trophy-laden international career to a close after a historic run with the national team.
Argentina will also be without veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi, who has also retired from international football in the same match as Messi. With Cristian Romero set to take over as captain, head coach Lionel Scaloni will have an opportunity to experiment with different combinations as the team begins its transition without two of its most experienced figures.
The November friendlies will also offer Scaloni a chance to assess his squad ahead of the next round of World Cup qualifiers, scheduled to begin in March 2027. Argentina have already qualified for the 2030 World Cup as co-hosts.
Meanwhile, the upcoming training camp could bring progress on Scaloni’s contract renewal. The coach recently indicated that he was willing to continue in the role, saying after the Benin match that he would stay if everything went well.
With the Messi era now over, the November fixtures will offer an early glimpse of how Argentina intend to move forward under Scaloni.
