Lionel Messi will be the big absentee for Argentina vs. Bolivia, the Albiceleste’s first friendly in this September-October FIFA international break. Lionel Scaloni’s national team begins a new stage in Córdoba, and it will do so without the player who marked an era in the Argentine jersey.
His absence marks a completely new scenario for the world champions in Qatar. After the announcement that changed his history with the national team, Argentina is starting to give other players greater responsibility and look for names capable of leading the next World Cup cycle. However, one last chapter remains for the No. 10.
Why Is Lionel Messi Not Playing Against Bolivia?
Lionel Messi is not playing against Bolivia because he was only called up for Argentina’s last friendly in this FIFA international break, against Benin on Oct. 6. The forward will also not be available for the second match against Burkina Faso, so we will have to wait until his last appearance to see him again in the Albiceleste jersey.
The decision is directly related to his retirement from the Argentine national team. Messi announced a few weeks ago that he was officially closing his international stage after the World Cup and, initially, it was even expected that he would not be part of any of these friendlies.
Ultimately, there will be an exception. The captain will return exclusively for the match against Benin, chosen as his official farewell with Argentina and a definitive end to a historic stage.
When Does Lionel Messi Play Again for Argentina?
The calendar perfectly marks the last commitment. Messi will not be against Bolivia in Cordoba or against Burkina Faso, but he will play against Benin on Oct. 6, in Argentina’s third and final friendly during this international window.
His presence will transform that match into a completely different occasion. Beyond the friendly nature, it will be the last opportunity to see him defending the colors of a national team with which he built the most important stage of his international career.
As that farewell approaches, Scaloni has an opportunity to start finding answers. The absence of the No. 10 frees up space and responsibility for players who must show whether they are ready to assume greater prominence in the next cycle.
Bolivia will be the first exam of that transition. Then come Burkina Faso and, finally, Benin, when Messi returns one last time. Argentina thus begins to look toward a new generation, although before that it will have one last match reserved to bid farewell to the player who forever changed the history of the Albiceleste.
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