Will Lionel Messi play tonight for Argentina vs Angola in friendly match?

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

Published at :November 14, 2025 at 7:01 PM

Modified at :November 14, 2025 at 7:01 PM

(Courtesy : Getty)

The defending World Cup champion will play a friendly tonight.

Tonight, Angola will welcome Lionel Messi’s Argentina, the current reigning world champions, in an international friendly at Talatona’s 11 de Novembro Stadium.

Angola, a country in southern Africa, is celebrating its 50th anniversary of independence from Portugal this week, and Lionel Messi and the Argentina football team are anticipated to be special guests.

In order to play the World Cup champion, Angola reportedly spent $13 million on this exhibition match.

The two teams have only faced off once before, with Argentina winning the friendly 2-0 in 2006. In the triumph over Angola 19 years ago, Scaloni also played.

After sweeping 12 of their 18 games (two ties and four losses), the Albiceleste easily advanced through the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualification group, finishing nine points ahead of Ecuador in second place.

Angola, on the other hand, finished fourth in a six-team group, behind Cape Verde, Cameroon, and Libya. As a result, they were unable to qualify for the 2026 World Cup and are currently 89th in the FIFA World Rankings.

Also Read: Angola vs Argentina Preview, prediction, lineups, betting tips & odds

Will Lionel Messi play tonight vs Angola?

Lionel Messi Argentina — Lionel Messi celebrates his first goal of the night during a match between Argentina and Bolivia at Estadio Mas Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 15. (Photo by Federico Peretti/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Lionel Messi will play in Argentina’s friendly against Angola on Friday, as confirmed by Lionel Scaloni. The World Cup winner has trained and travelled with the remainder of the squad and will feature in the friendly match.

Fans will be excited to see the 2022 World Cup winner as Angola reportedly paid a lot of money for this match, especially to witness the former Barcelona star player in action tonight.

The match is a part of the festivities to commemorate Angola’s 50 years of independence.

Will Lionel Messi play tonight?

Yes, head coach Scaloni has confirmed.

Where will the game be played?

It will take place at the Estadio 11 de Novembro in Talatona.

Have Angnla qualified for the World Cup?

No, they finished fourth in their group.

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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.