Uruguay will face Argentina in a friendly at La Bombonera on November 13, a match that will mark the debut of interim manager Diego Forlán. Their rivals arrive with a squad announced by Lionel Scaloni that does not include captain Lionel Messi and features several new call-ups.

Scaloni presented the list of players for the year's final friendlies, against Uruguay and Costa Rica on November 13 and 17. The major absence is Messi, while the manager sprung a surprise with a first senior call-up for 21-year-old centre-back Aaron Anselmino. Full-back Gonzalo Montiel also returns to the group after not featuring since the 2026 World Cup final, and defender Mariano Troilo receives his second call-up.

Argentina's Condition

Argentina arrives with several key absences in attack. Lautaro Martínez is out with a hamstring strain, and defender Cuti Romero and midfielder Nico González are also unavailable due to injury. One question mark is goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, called up despite not playing since suffering a jaw fracture. To cover the goalkeeping position, Scaloni has also called up Gerónimo Rulli, Juan Musso and Santiago Beltrán.

The match against Uruguay will be an important test for both sides. La Celeste arrives in high spirits after two consecutive wins on their recent Asian tour, including a resounding 6-1 victory over India on October 6. In that match, Maximiliano Araújo scored a brace and Darwin Núñez opened the scoring from the penalty spot. You can review all the details of recent matches on our stats page.

Uruguay's Context

For Uruguay, this match marks the resumption of the classic Río de la Plata rivalry. The last meeting, in March 2025, ended in a 1-0 defeat in Montevideo. Now, with Forlán in temporary charge, the team will look to reverse that result in an iconic setting like La Bombonera.

Preparation under the new manager will focus on maintaining the offensive streak shown in recent games, where the team scored ten goals in two matches. After the friendly in Buenos Aires, Uruguay will complete the FIFA window with a match against Costa Rica on November 17 in Córdoba. The Costa Rican side also arrives with a new coach, following the dismissal of Fernando Batista.

Forlán's interim spell has the immediate goal of handling these two November fixtures. The coaching staff and players are already working in pre-season with their sights set on the clash on the 13th, a challenge that will serve to gauge the current state of the squad for the future.

First reported at TyC Sports