Messi retirement changes Argentina’s Asian tour
Argentina have abandoned plans for an Asian tour following Lionel Messi’s international retirement and now expect to play three matches at home during the next FIFA international window.
Lionel Scaloni’s side will return to domestic soil between September 21 and October 6 after losing 1-0 to Spain in the World Cup final.
The Argentine Football Association is working on a homecoming series that could give Scaloni his first chance to reshape the team without Messi.
The opening match could take place at El Monumental against a South American or CONCACAF opponent. Córdoba and Rosario have emerged as the leading candidates to host the other two fixtures.
ESPN Argentina reports that Argentina have a 90 per cent chance of playing the entire window at home. Journalist Diego Monroig said the change followed the collapse of arrangements for the proposed overseas tour.
China had previously looked almost certain to host one of Argentina’s matches. Messi’s decision to end his international career changed those plans.
The home series will also give Scaloni valuable time to test his options without the player who has shaped Argentina’s attack for more than a decade.
Messi confirmed his international retirement after the World Cup, closing a chapter that included the 2022 World Cup and two Copa América titles.
Scaloni now faces the task of building an attack that can function without its former captain. The September window should provide an early opportunity to test younger players and alter the team’s attacking structure.
Argentina also face uncertainty over the next World Cup qualifying cycle. CONMEBOL and FIFA are discussing South America’s allocation for the 2030 tournament because Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay will receive automatic places as co-hosts.
The key question centres on whether those automatic places will come from South America’s existing allocation or sit outside it.
Argentina, however, have already asked to participate fully in qualifying regardless of the final decision.
