Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, enter as one of the top favorites and strongest contenders for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Head coach Lionel Scaloni announced that several players have been ruled out of the upcoming friendly against Angola, scheduled for Friday, November 14, at the Estadio 11 de Novembro in Luanda — the final FIFA international window of 2025.
Nahuel Molina Lucero, Julian Alvarez, and Giuliano Simeone have been left out of the squad after failing to complete the required health documentation related to the yellow fever vaccination needed for entry into Angola.
The only players from Spanish clubs who successfully completed their vaccination paperwork on time are midfielder Thiago Almada and forward Nicolas Gonzalez, both currently participating in Argentina’s training sessions in Alicante, Spain.
Scaloni will now have to determine who will replace the three absentees, though the same vaccination requirements could complicate any new call-ups. For instance, Marcos Acuna, who received a fifth yellow card in the Superclasico between River Plate and Boca Juniors — a match Boca won — would face similar eligibility issues.
Julian Alvarez of Argentina.
Leandro Paredes’ case, however, is different. Despite Boca Juniors already qualifying for both the 2025 Torneo Clausura playoffs and the upcoming Copa Libertadores, Scaloni and AFA president Claudio Tapia have decided not to include players from the domestic league for Argentina’s November squad at this time.
Another key absence for a different reason
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Argentina will not only miss those three players but will also be without one of their most influential midfielders, Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea. The team will lose a player who contributes on both ends — creating, recovering, and linking play seamlessly with Messi on the field.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced in a brief statement that Enzo Fernandez is suffering from bone edema in his right knee and will remain in London to continue his recovery with Chelsea. His absence is a major blow, as he has been one of the key figures in Argentina’s midfield balance.
Scaloni will have 22 players available for this friendly, with Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez returning to the squad after recovering from a cruciate ligament injury, and Kevin Mac Allister — brother of Alexis Mac Allister — joining from Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. Also, Emiliano Buendia of Aston Villa is one of the latest players to join the Argentina national team.
