Argentina squad: Emiliano Martínez in, Cuti Romero out

Argentina named their November squad on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Head coach Lionel Scaloni called up 28 players for two friendlies against Uruguay and Costa Rica. According to L'Équipe, Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is in the group despite having jaw surgery in mid-October. Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso are left out again.

This is the first squad since Lionel Messi retired from international football. Mundo Deportivo reports that Atlético Madrid defender Cristian "Cuti" Romero was also not called up. According to Football Italia, the squad includes 7 players from Serie A, drawn from Roma, Como, Fiorentina and Parma.

Why is Emiliano Martínez's call-up significant?

Emiliano Martínez has been called up by Argentina even though he had jaw surgery in mid-October. A serious facial injury had kept the goalkeeper out for weeks, so his inclusion came as a surprise. ScoreLab data shows that the 34-year-old's last competitive appearance was Chelsea's 2-0 win at Everton on October 17, 2026, when he played 75 minutes. Martínez has 70 caps for Argentina and has made 6 Premier League appearances this season.

Who is missing from the Argentina squad, and why?

The main absentees from the November squad are Cristian Romero, Lautaro Martínez, Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso. World Soccer Talk reports that Romero strained an adductor while playing for Atlético Madrid. Mundo Deportivo adds that the Argentina centre-back will miss Atlético's Champions League home game against Bayern Munich at the Metropolitano. According to World Soccer Talk, Lautaro Martínez is still recovering from a left thigh strain that has kept him out of Inter's last 5 matches. Nicolás González misses out with a soleus injury in his right leg.

The situation is different for De Paul and Lo Celso. Citing reports, World Soccer Talk says the two midfielders have fallen behind in Scaloni's plan for a generational change. Neither was called up for the previous window, and both played only in Messi's farewell match against Benin. The same outlet adds that the pair should not be ruled out for good. ScoreLab data shows De Paul has scored 2 goals in 95 appearances for Argentina. World Soccer Talk also reports that Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina are unavailable because they are still serving suspensions.

Who are the new faces in Argentina's post-Messi squad?

Scaloni's first post-Messi squad mixes experienced players with young talent. Mariano Troilo, who was first called up in July 2025 while at Belgrano, returns as a Parma player. Aaron Anselmino, who came through at Boca Juniors, is set for his first involvement at the national team's Ezeiza training base. World Soccer Talk expects young players such as Ezequiel Fernández, Máximo Perrone and Valentín Barco to get more game time. According to Mundo Deportivo, Atlético Madrid's Julián Álvarez, Giuliano Simeone and Juan Musso are all in the squad.

ScoreLab data shows Lionel Messi signed off from international football on October 6, 2026 with 1 goal and 2 assists in a 3-0 win over Benin. Messi finished with 126 goals in 208 appearances for Argentina.

When are Argentina's November friendlies?

Argentina face Uruguay on November 13, 2026 at the Estadio Alberto J. Armando in Buenos Aires, better known as La Bombonera. The second friendly of the window is against Costa Rica on November 17, 2026 at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba. Both games are on home soil and will be the first on-pitch test of the post-Messi era.