Argentina lose Foyth and Almada for Messi farewell games

Argentina face a triple friendly window in September and October with two unexpected absences. Villarreal defender Juan Foyth and River Plate midfielder Thiago Almada have both dropped out of the squad due to physical problems, meaning they will miss the matches that are set to be Leo Messi's final appearances for the national team.

• Juan Foyth has not recovered in time from a muscle injury that kept him out for more than three weeks.
• Thiago Almada left his last River Plate match early and has not been able to recover.
• The AFA confirmed both absences but has not yet announced who will replace them.
• Argentina will play Benin, Burkina Faso and Bolivia in Messi's last international window.

Messi's farewell defines Scaloni's squad

The three fixtures Argentina face between September and October have a clear storyline: Leo Messi. The captain will play his final matches in the Albiceleste shirt as the national team prepares to close a historic chapter. After more than a decade and a half as the team's leader and with a World Cup title from Qatar 2022 to his name, the time has come to say goodbye.

Lionel Scaloni must now adjust his squad to cover the gaps left by Foyth and Almada. The head coach is preparing a list shaped by the emotional weight of Messi's farewell, but also by the need to keep the competitive level that has carried Argentina as world champions.

Thiago Almada fails to recover from River Plate knock

Thiago Almada entered this international window carrying discomfort from his last appearance with River Plate. The midfielder had to leave the pitch early and, despite being included in Scaloni's first list, he has not recovered in time to join the squad.

The 24-year-old's absence is a blow for Argentina's midfield and, above all, it denies him the chance to share a dressing room with Messi during the captain's final international matches.

Juan Foyth's injury curse strikes again at a big moment

Juan Foyth's case carries an extra layer of bad luck. The Villarreal defender had been out for more than three weeks with a muscle injury and was in the final stretch of his recovery, but he has not made it back in time for the national team camp.

This is not the first time Foyth has missed a major tournament with Argentina due to physical problems. He already sat out the 2021 and 2024 Copa América tournaments, as well as the 2018 World Cup. The exception was Qatar 2022, where he did feature and lifted the World Cup trophy. Now he is out again just as Argentina prepares to close one of its most successful eras.

Three friendlies to close an era for the Albiceleste

Argentina will play three friendly matches against Benin, Burkina Faso and Bolivia in what is set to be Messi's last international window. Beyond the results, the games will serve as a tribute to the player who reshaped the recent history of Argentine football.

The AFA has not yet confirmed who will take the places of Foyth and Almada. Scaloni will need to make a move to complete a squad that, between injuries and emotion, heads into an occasion that is as special as it is demanding.

What is at stake for Argentina against Benin, Burkina Faso and Bolivia

These three matches offer no trophies, but they hold enormous symbolic value: they are the stage chosen to bid farewell to Leo Messi from the national team. For the players called up, being part of this list is a unique opportunity to share the captain's final minutes in an Argentina shirt.

The window will also give Scaloni a chance to look at alternative options for the near future, with a view to the next official fixtures that will no longer feature Messi on the pitch.