Lionel Messi’s visit prompts Angola authorities to make unusual decision ahead of Argentina clash
Argentina have just one more game left in their 2025 schedule. During the November international break, Lionel Messi and his teammates will travel to Africa to face Angola in a friendly that promises to be a landmark event for the home team.
Angola is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its independence, achieved on November 11, 1975. This milestone has been marked with several public holidays, and the match against Argentina has been positioned as one of the country’s most attractive sporting events.
Aware of the significance this match holds, Angolan authorities made a bold decision to ensure Friday’s event provides the perfect setting to welcome Lionel Messi and his teammates. According to journalist Gaston Edul, tickets for the Argentina match were sold at a symbolic price of just one U.S. dollar each.
This approach allows local fans to attend the game and fill the stands of the 11 de Novembro Stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 40,000 spectators. The venue, the largest in the country, was built in 2009 with an estimated investment of $40 million.
Messi’s presence is so significant that Angolan authorities reportedly made a substantial financial effort to meet Argentina’s requirements and make the event possible. Sport News Africa estimates the total cost of organizing the match at around $12.7 million.
Argentina’s challenges ahead of the Angola match
Although it is a friendly with nothing significant at stake, Argentina have faced several challenges in preparing for Friday’s game, primarily due to a large number of absences from the squad.
Stars like Emiliano Martinez, Enzo Fernandez, and Franco Mastantuono were left out of Lionel Scaloni’s call-up for fitness and rest reasons. In addition, players from the Argentine league, including Marcos Acuña, Gonzalo Montiel, and Leandro Paredes, were not called up as they are in the final stages of the domestic tournament.
Just days before training began in Spain, three more players were excluded for unexpected reasons. Atletico Madrid stars Julian Alvarez, Nahuel Molina, and Giuliano Simeone will not travel to Angola because they have not completed the yellow fever vaccination process in time.
Messi will be surrounded by many new faces
While some of Argentina’s top stars will be present, including Lionel Messi, Alexis Mac Allister, Cristian Romero, and Lautaro Martinez, the last-minute absences and unofficial nature of the match give Lionel Scaloni the opportunity to test players who have not recently featured for the national team.
The call-up includes young talents such as Valentin Barco, Maximo Perrone, Gianluca Prestianni, and Joaquin Panichelli. Of these, only Barco has made his debut for Argentina, in a 2024 friendly against El Salvador. Additionally, Kevin Mac Allister, a defender for Union Saint-Gilloise and brother of Alexis, and Aston Villa midfielder Emiliano Buendia were added to the squad at the last minute.