Eight months before the start of the 2026 World Cup, the Argentina National Team enters the final stage of its preparation. With few international windows available before the tournament to be hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada, Lionel Scaloni has announced the last draft list for 2025, one of the final ones before the definitive squad is named to defend the crown. The coach released the list of 24 players to play the friendly against Angola, which will take place on Friday, November 14 in Luanda.
Los convocados para el amistoso con Angola
This draft doesn't include any players from the domestic league, since Scaloni decided to prioritize the conclusion of the Argentine championship, which will award the last tickets to the play-offs. Among those initially reserved were Lautaro Rivero and Marcos Acuña (River) and Leandro Paredes (Boca), although they were ultimately released. Emiliano "Dibu" Martínez is also absent, as he was dealing with physical discomfort and will rest.
Meanwhile, Scaloni included names that drew attention and bring renewal. Among them, the return of Valentín Barco stands out, who is currently performing well at Racing de Estrasburgo, while his teammate Joaquín Panichelli, a former River striker, received his first draft to the senior team after an impressive goal-scoring streak in France.
Another major development is Gianluca Prestianni, a standout for the U-20 National Team coached by Diego Placente who excelled at the World Cup in Chile, and who could make his senior debut with the Albiceleste. Máximo Perrone also joins the squad, performing at a high level at Como, where he shares a team with Nicolás Paz, another young player included in this draft.
Barco, Panichelli, Prestianni y Perrone son las sorpresas de la convocatoria
When the National Team plays
The upcoming FIFA date will feature a single friendly against Angola, as part of the 50th anniversary of the African country's independence. The national team will begin its training camp in Spain before traveling to Luanda, where the match will be played on Friday, November 14 at 1:00 p.m. (Argentina time). This will be the last match of the year before the World Cup draw and the formal close of the 2025 calendar.
