Argentina New Squad Name 28-Man Without Messi, Anselmino Earns First Call-Up
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has announced a 28-player squad for the national team’s final two international friendlies of the year, with Lionel Messi absent from the selection.
The three-time world champions are scheduled to face Uruguay on November 13 at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires before taking on Costa Rica on November 17 at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Cordoba.
The biggest talking point in Scaloni’s latest selection is the inclusion of 21-year-old defender Aaron Anselmino, who has received his maiden call-up to the senior national team.
Gonzalo Montiel and Mariano Troilo are also back in the squad, while Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso have been left out. Lautaro Martinez and captain Cristian Romero are unavailable due to muscle injuries.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has retained his place despite ongoing concerns over his fitness. The shot-stopper recently underwent surgery following a serious jaw injury and has yet to return to action for Chelsea. Anticipating the possibility that Martinez may not be ready, Scaloni has included three additional goalkeepers in the squad.
For Troilo, the latest selection represents another opportunity to establish himself at international level. He was previously called up in May 2025 for Argentina’s World Cup qualifying fixtures against Chile and Colombia but did not feature in either match.
Anselmino’s inclusion, meanwhile, adds a fresh option to Argentina’s defensive setup as Scaloni continues to assess emerging talent ahead of future international assignments.
Argentina’s 28-Man Squad
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Geronimo Rulli, Juan Musso, Santiago Beltran.
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel, Agustin Giay, Aaron Anselmino, Mariano Troilo, Leonardo Balerdi, Lisandro Martinez, Facundo Medina, Nicolas Tagliafico, Roman Vega, Valentin Barco.
Midfielders: Maximo Perrone, Exequiel Palacios, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Nico Paz, Ezequiel Fernandez, Thiago Almada.
Forwards: Franco Mastantuono, Giuliano Simeone, Gianluca Prestianni, Matias Soule, Santiago Castro, Julian Alvarez, Jose Manuel Lopez.
Argentina will use the two November fixtures to assess their options and maintain competitive momentum as preparations continue for upcoming international challenges.
