Argentina make official the first two games without Lionel Messi as ‘Albiceleste’ enters new era

It’s time for the new blood of Argentina to take over. After the last FIFA international window where Lionel Messi retired from the ‘Albiceleste‘, it’s time for the newer generation to face new rivals.

The next international window will be in November, and the ‘Albiceleste’ has defined which opponents they’ll face. On November 13, Argentina will face Uruguay in Buenos Aires, and then they’ll face Costa Rica in Cordoba, on November 17.

These are two very different teams, though they share a particularity. Both are coming into these games with relatively brand-new coaches that are also former legendary players. For Uruguay, it’s the mythical Diego Forlan, while for Costa Rica, is the always-classy Bryan Ruiz.

Who are the new names to monitor in Argentina?

After Lionel Messi‘s farewell, all eyes will be in Nico Paz, who is the natural replacement. During Messi’s last game, he actually assisted Paz who scored a great goal. Paz has shown he is capable of taking the torch that Messi left.

During the last window, coach Lionel Scaloni also gave opportunities to guys like Exequiel Palacios, Franco Mastantuono, Leonel Flores, and Agustin Giay. Hence, the generational change is already in place.

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Argentina is clearly the favorite to win both games

Argentina is a top-tier team even without Messi. The talent on the roster is pretty much unmatched. Meanwhile, Uruguay is just starting a new process and this generation is nowhere near an elite one.

As for Costa Rica, it didn’t even attend the 2026 World Cup, prompting a change. However, the manager Bryan Ruiz has just coached four games in his life. Still, he’s won all four games, scoring 13 goals and allowing just one goal.

Key takeaways

• Lionel Messi retired from Argentina, making way for the team’s newer generation of players.
• Argentina will play Uruguay on November 13 and face Costa Rica on November 17.
• Nico Paz scored off an assist from Lionel Messi during Messi’s final international game.