Argentine NT: News, Stats & Players [R]

Lautaro has 25 goals in CL, half of them has been scored in this year alone.

CL current top scorer in 2025

Lautaro Martínez (12 goals)
Harry Kane (11)
Kylian Mbappé (10)

 

Wow. That is just beautiful

 

Scaloni trolling at this point… Prestianni over Soule is hilarious

 

Lots to like but I’m assuming Soule won’t play on the left and that’s why he isn’t being called up. That’s the only explanation that and he’s just taking the piss.

 

How the hell do we not give Soule a chance here against Angola?

I agree, Prestianni over Soule is criminal.

 

At this stage you have to think it's a personal issue that Scaloni has with Soulé, there's simply no logical reason for him not to be picked. In which case I wouldn't blame Soule if he chooses to play for Italy.

 

Other than Soule's absent, its a good list overall. With Paredes absent, I thought Soule would have been there but I guess Scaloni's main plan will always be starting with either Giu or Nico G. Soule most likely would be riding the bench and would only be use as last resort, much like Dybala.

 

What’s the point of calling up RDP and Otamendi again? Honestly, it makes no sense. Soule not getting called up once more clearly shows that Scaloni doesn’t rate him. The rumors about him wanting to switch allegiances, possibly spread by his agent or manager, probably didn’t help either. Plus, competition on the right side is tough, Paz, Masta and Leo are all ahead of him.

 

I don’t think it is about rating him, it has more to do with usefulness. For one, Masta is out for a while. Paz should be roaming in the center of the pitch and not be wasted playing out wide. Scaloni should put more faith in him.

The issue then becomes Messi, where they(Mati) will be occupying similar spots.

Just look at Soulé with Dybala on the pitch and without. Today he was quite good v Rangers with no Paulo. Soulé has looked a bit average over the last few weeks with Dybala back.

We can push Mati a bit more wide but I think the issue then becomes Scaloni favoring players like Giuliano and Nico. Both defend and help with the attack even though their contributions are quite limited going forward.

For Scaloni then it becomes what is the point of calling him up? He’ll just take up a spot.

Soulé has already come out and said that his manager spoke out of term and he’ll wait for his time with the seleccion. I think that time will only arrive when Messi hangs them up. Unless Nico G, Giuliano or somebody gets hurt and are out; that’s when he’ll get a look.

I have a bit of a concern how we are going to find goals. Messi, Almada and Julian is something Scaloni has tinkered with. I think we may see it again. The Messi, Lautaro and Julian is a failure. I don’t think Scaloni yet trusts Paz to start with Messi and Julian. Things can change but again, Scaloni has to give the kid a bit more confidence like he did with Enzo and Mac in 22.



Just to note. I do hope Barco and Panichelli are given serious consideration. They can provide the team with the attack. It will provide a new look. They give us a new dimension. I don’t think we’ll look so stagnant with those additions. Scaloni better take advantage of it.

 

It's about whether selection is based on meritocracy or just an old boys club (literally). I'm sure Scaloni has called up loads of players who are not going to be useful for the NT or who he had no plans to select again but wanted to give a chance to because they were in good form. Soule deserved a call up based on his form, it is irrelevant whether he would consider him useful in the long term or not, it's sending out a message that if you play well for your club side, you will get called up. It really is that simple.

 

I can see how it can be an issue as long as Messi is still in the team. My problem is, why is Masta ahead of Soule? What has he really done at club level to deserve that spot? Some of these decisions just feel hard to justify. Either way, as you said, it comes down to preference and Scaloni clearly favors hard workers and hustlers. These matches are basically meaningless, so I was hoping someone like Soule and others would get some minutes at least, but I guess that decision’s already been made very clearly

 

Other than money, and the fact that it is a scheduled international break, there is virtually no point to these games. And that is not me being arrogant, I have no issues with the teams we are playing against, for the players and supporters of those teams what a great opportunity to play against the world champions and for their fans to see Messi / Argentina. But nothing will be learned, the new players will either not be selected or be brought on as subs and given 15/20 mins, so why not pick Soule, why not start all the younger players and bring the older players on as subs, what is the point of selecting RDP, seriously, he's going to the world cup even if he doesn't olay another game between now and the world cup. Scaloni has had loads of opportunities to start the younger players, we had qualified for the world cup with several games left to play, he could have played them in those matches, but it is the same players again and again and again.

 

My thoughts

- 24 players (22 onfield players) is usually low, but with the disgraceful scheduling for this November friendly, it's only 1 game so not a big problem.

- Happy to see Senesi called up again.

- As much as a good form he is, I don't understand why Barco is called up seeing how the midfield is so stacked. I hope Barco does not play in LB. I would have prioritized in playing players in positions where we need options.

- I think if Equi was fit, he would have been picked over Perrone

- Prestianni over Soule is an absolute disgrace. Soule can play as a touchline winger so there is no reason why Messi and Soule can't play together.

- Panichelli has earned himself a well-deserved call up. His profile is very useful for the team

 

😅📲 | El comentario de Pablo Fornals a Valentín Gómez tras romperla jugando de 3 ante Lyon por Europa League. pic.twitter.com/ULaitY47Or

— Sábado Vélez (@sabadovelezok) November 7, 2025

At this point one could argue Gomez is a bigger omission than Soule or anyone else. Jmo

 

Barco = potential GLC replacement. If he plays some minutes this will be the big test for him.

Not so sure about Equi. He's very talented for sure but he just arrived to europe while Perrone is established and doing great for Como. He'll have to earn that WC squad spot.

Agree about Prestianni, but smells like a way to "reward" the U20 team. Don't think it'll be repeated if he doesn't show something for Benfica (as of now he isn't).

 

Prestianni isn’t half the player that Mati is… (Literally and figuratively).

If he’s calling up players from Benfica then why not call up Barrenechea?

Barco is perhaps the most offensive sounded midfield type player we have outside of Paz. We need that type of player rather than players who play in between the lines. Plus, I love Colo’s attitude and the way he carries himself. He is a throwback to our old school generation. Just a silent killer with all the talent in the world and he knows it.

I wish we dropped players like De Paul but Messi and Tapia need to keep their cábala…

I do agree with most that it is overall a good list with a few minor tweaks, it would be better. I am guessing we will have a few more friendlies before the Mundial but Scaloni needs to keep his eye out on players progressing or regressing.


Also… The US set up friendlies with the Uruguay and Paraguay…We were in talks with the US but once Angola offered that ridiculous amount of money, Tapia gave in. A friendly with the US would have been a good game. But our next few friendlies will probably be in Saudi Arabia or some Gulf Nation. A couple of European teams or a top tier Asian side would be something we should aim for in March or so.

 

When you called Barco the "most offensive" I thought you meant something else.

 

Again I feel we can chat and discuss about which player should've made it in favour of the other until next summer. Usually advocating for our favourite guy but they're all deserving of a shot to some degree. There's about 2/3 positions up for grabs in the starting 11 and that's going to be more indicative to how Argentina fares in 2026. Not much to worry about right now plenty of football needs to be played and we will see how everyone's form and more importantly how healthy they are next summer.

 

I'm not over worrying on our opponents quality in friendlies. Back then we beat the likes of Germany (all the time) , France, Brazil, Spain , Italy, Portugal in friendlies and it means absolutely nothing . If anything, Germany always seems to figured out of weaknesses instead.

Spain beat our second strings 6-1 right before WC 2018 and they only won 1 game in that WC

The US can setup friendlies against anyone, as if its matters? they'll probably struggle to even beat Mexico at WC.

 

I don't think we need to play the giants but it'd be nice to play sides good enough to evaluate our players against. You can't really figure out anything playing countries that even a fully domestic league lineup could beat.

 

The other major elephant in the room is that the Chiqui Mafia and his goons get paid millions for these friendlies. We basically want to take the entire pie rather than let the players test themselves. Morocco would have been a great test but of course we wanted too much money.

Friendlies for us have become a way for the fat cats to fatten their wallets. That is all. The players should not be traveling around the world so they can get members of the AFA rich. We should only have friendlies to test ourselves.

If you do not want to play the bigger names because you think they will figure us out after the friendlies, then scrap friendlies altogether. What is there to gain? We have won everything already, so I do not understand this either. What is there to figure out now?

Some people are only seeing it from the sporting perspective rather than seeing a much deeper issue.I would rather we play nobody than watch these goons get paid and then cry about not having money to pay the staff and workers at Ezeiza while they laugh it up in their mansions in San Isidro.

 

If the players don't want to play this kind of games they have the power to tell Tapia or/and the media that they don't want to, but they all happy with Tapia and his bullshit. Winning the WC after many years gave them the power to criticize whatever they want
Unfortunally the players are responsable for this kind of friendlies too. They even could said something about the state of the league.

I woudn't mind these games if at least the money went to the league and/or teams in Argentina, but like you said, it all goes to San Isidro and Nordelta

 

That’s been one of my criticisms… The players all laugh and look gleeful around that bum. They treat him like he’s their long lost uncle or something. It is pathetic.

There were rumors that Scaloni was unhappy with the lack of quality teams we were playing. But nothing came out of it.