Argentina’s No. 10 shirt went unassigned at La Bombonera on Friday night. In the stands, though, fans still wore the number they had grown accustomed to seeing on Lionel Messi’s back as Argentina played their first match since he retired from international football in October.
The Uruguay game was Lionel Scaloni’s first test since the Argentine Football Association confirmed he would stay in charge through the 2030 World Cup. He started Nico Paz and Thiago Almada alongside Julián Álvarez in a front line looking for new ways to create chances following the departure of its captain.
Argentina lost 2–1 after Uruguay struck twice in five minutes early in the second half. The hosts created their clearest chances in the latter stages of the match.
Uruguay took the lead in the 48th minute when Lisandro Martínez’s attempted clearance ricocheted off teammate Leonardo Balerdi and flew past Gerónimo Rulli. Maximiliano Araújo doubled the lead for Diego Forlán’s side in the 53rd minute.
Álvarez pulled one back in the 73rd minute after a surging run from substitute Gianluca Prestianni, whose introduction gave Argentina’s attack a burst of pace it had lacked in the first half. The hosts pushed for an equaliser in the closing minutes but could not find one.
Around six weeks earlier, Messi had signed off with a goal in a 3–0 win over Benin at the Monumental. His international career began in 2005 and ended with 126 goals in 208 appearances, according to CONMEBOL.
Messi led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title, Copa América triumphs in 2021 and 2024, and the 2026 World Cup final. With that era over, Scaloni is now reshaping his attack for the next World Cup cycle.
Argentina face Costa Rica in Córdoba on Tuesday in their second match without Messi, while Uruguay return home to take on the Dominican Republic the same day.
