Argentina squad for friendly against Venezuela & Puerto Rico; Lionel Messi called-up

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :October 5, 2025 at 3:38 PM

Modified at :October 5, 2025 at 3:38 PM

Argentina squad for friendly against Venezuela & Puerto Rico; Lionel Messi called-up

(Courtesy : Getty)

The La Albiceleste finished the 2026 World Cup qualifiers by topping their group.

Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina squad for the upcoming two friendlies during the October international break has been named.

These friendly games are against Puerto Rico on Monday, October 13, in Chicago, and Venezuela on Friday, October 10, in Miami.

Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul of Inter Miami have been named in the 28-man roster on Friday by coach Lionel Scaloni. The teams will play Venezuela and Puerto Rico in Miami and Chicago, respectively, in a friendly this month.

Messi and De Paul’s availability for the Oct. 10 encounter against Venezuela is still in question because Inter Miami will play Atlanta United in a crucial MLS regular-season game at Chase Stadium the following day.

The three newest selections are Aníbal Moreno, Lautaro Rivero, and Marcos Senesi. There are Nicolás Tagliafico (OL), Leonardo Balerdi (OM), and Geronimo Rulli from Ligue 1.

Enzo Fernández, Chelsea midfielder, rejoins the team after missing the previous matches because of suspension.

Talking about the World Cup qualifiers, with 12 victories out of 18 games, Argentina finished first in the table with 38 points, having drawn twice and lost four games.

Argentina squad for October friendly matches

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa), Gerónimo Rulli (Olympique Marseille), Walter Benítez (Crystal Palace), Facundo Cambeses (Racing)

Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Lautaro Rivero (River Plate), Marcos Acuña (River Plate), Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon)

Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors), Aníbal Moreno (Palmeiras), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Nicolás Paz (Como), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Thiago Almada (Atlético Madrid), Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid), José Manuel López (Palmeiras)

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Julián Álvarez (Atlético Madrid), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), Nicolás González (Juventus), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético Madrid)

🇦🇷📝Our 𝘔𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴 for the Friendly Tour in the 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/l96GLkE1UW
— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) October 3, 2025

Are Argentina already qualified for the 2026 World Cup?

Yes, they have already qualified for the tournament.

Where did they finish in the World Cup qualifiers?

They topped the table with 38 points.

Who was the top scorer in the South American qualifiers?

Lionel Messi was the top scorer with eight goals.

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Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.