Lionel Messi and teammate Rodrigo De Paul have been named in Argentina’s 24-player squad. They will face Angola in a friendly match on November 14. The call-up comes while their club, Inter Miami, is still competing in the MLS playoffs.
Inter Miami is currently tied 1-1 in a best-of-three series against Nashville SC. The decisive Game 3 will take place on November 8 in Fort Lauderdale. It will determine whether Miami advances in the playoffs.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni left out players from the domestic Primera División. He instead selected footballers based overseas. This decision was made out of respect for the ongoing local tournament.
Messi enjoyed an outstanding MLS season. He finished with 29 goals and 19 assists. That tally left him just one goal contribution short of the league record.
However, the timing creates a scheduling challenge. If Inter Miami advance, their next playoff match could fall on November 22 or 23. That could overlap with Argentina’s national team commitments.
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