Argentina are preparing to begin a new chapter following Lionel Messi’s farewell to international football. The world champions will face Uruguay and Costa Rica in two friendlies during the November FIFA international window, giving head coach Lionel Scaloni an opportunity to assess his squad without the legendary forward.

Messi played his final match for Argentina on October 6, scoring in a 3-0 friendly victory over Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The occasion marked an emotional end to his international career. Nicolas Otamendi has also stepped away from the national team, with Cristian Romero taking over as captain.

Scaloni is expected to use the upcoming fixtures to test different line-ups, assess players and experiment with tactical options as Argentina prepare for the next stage of their international programme. The next training camp could also bring further progress on a possible contract extension for the coach. After the Benin match, Scaloni indicated that he would continue in the role if everything went according to plan.

Argentina will meet Uruguay on November 13 in a highly anticipated clash between the South American rivals. According to TyC Sports, the match is expected to take place at the historic La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires. Estadio Único in La Plata was also considered as an alternative, but renovation work is still underway there.

The second friendly will see Argentina take on Costa Rica on November 17 at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba. Argentina previously defeated Bolivia during their last visit to the venue.

With Messi’s international career over, Argentina face the task of adapting to a new leadership structure and finding their next direction. The matches against Uruguay and Costa Rica will provide an early opportunity for Scaloni to begin that transition.