Lionel Messi to be joined by several new teammates ahead of Argentina’s 2025 finale in Africa
Argentina have just one more game left in 2025. During the upcoming international break, they were originally scheduled to play a match in India, but that plan was eventually scrapped. As a result, their only friendly will be against Angola in Africa on November 14. Lionel Messi is expected to be there, and alongside him, several young players could make their first appearance.
According to TyC Sports, Argentina’s strong performance at the U-20 World Cup, where they lost the final to Morocco, has put several players from that team in Lionel Scaloni’s plans. The head coach could use the November friendly to give some of them their first opportunities with the senior team.
The head coach has already called up Julio Soler, a 20-year-old left back who joined Bournemouth in the Premier League last season, on a few occasions. However, he has yet to make his official debut, and the match against Angola could finally be the day that happens.
Another standout from the U-20 World Cup was Gianluca Prestianni, a 19-year-old winger for whom Benfica paid over $10 million in 2023. Unlike Soler, he has not yet received a senior call-up, but that opportunity now seems much closer.
Young Argentine talents in Ligue 1 and Bundesliga
In Ligue 1, two Argentine players have been delivering impressive performances: Valentín Barco and Joaquin Panichelli, both from RC Strasbourg. The former is a left back who already made his debut in a friendly with Argentina against El Salvador in 2024. Panichelli, meanwhile, is a 23-year-old forward who has scored eight goals in 11 matches in France this season.
Reports also indicate that Lionel Scaloni had considered calling up a Bundesliga star. Ezequiel Fernandez joined Bayer Leverkusen this year as part of the club’s rebuild following the departure of Xabi Alonso. His strong performances earned him a place in the squad, but a knee injury sidelined him for nearly two months, ruling him out of the international break with Argentina.
Messi’s plans ahead of the November international break
While there is still no official confirmation, Lionel Messi is expected to be among Argentina’s call-ups for the friendly against Angola in Luanda. Before that, of course, the forward has an important mission: helping Inter Miami secure a spot in the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference semifinals.
On Saturday, November 1, the Herons will visit Nashville SC seeking a victory that would allow them to advance. If they fail, they will need to play a decisive third match at Chase Stadium on Saturday, November 8. In any case, starting November 10, the Argentine players will meet in Spain to begin training for the friendly against Angola.
Since there won’t be a second friendly during the international break, Scaloni’s plan is for the team to remain in Spain and continue training until Tuesday, November 18. However, TyC Sports reports that some players — including Messi — may receive special permission to return to their clubs right after the match against Angola, giving them extra preparation time for their next club fixtures.