Argentina's coach straightforwardly addresses resting Messi

Coach Scaloni disclosed that the decision to rest Messi in the game versus Venezuela came from him.

In the early hours of October 11th, Argentina played an international friendly against Venezuela. Since the official World Cup 2026 qualifying spot was already secured, the match was not heavily focused on competition. Superstar Lionel Messi watched from the stands as he was set to play for Inter Miami in the MLS the following day. At this time, "El Pulga" preferred to prioritize his club commitments in the U.S.

Without Messi, Argentina struggled somewhat against Venezuela but still managed a 1-0 victory. The sole goal was scored by Lo Celso. After the match, head coach Scaloni explained the reason behind resting Messi in this game:

"I was the one who chose to rest Leo (Messi). I wanted to observe Lautaro (Martínez) and Julián (Álvarez)'s form, and we also have Flaco López on the bench, who will soon get his chance. I wanted to test the 5-3-2 formation, which is an interesting tactical option because we have the right players to implement it. There will be moments when the team needs defensive solidity.

In the first half, we played quite well, creating many scoring chances and could have scored more. For about 20 to 25 minutes into the second half, the team performed poorly. Then we changed our tactical setup, played more securely, and improved a lot. This match was a valuable test, showing that every opponent is tough to face.”

Any team facing us plays with full determination. Venezuela put up a good game. Winning is not the most important thing. Our goal is to assess the entire squad’s form and help players gain more minutes on the field.

Next Tuesday, all the newly called-up players will take the field. I hope they make the most of this chance.” In terms of ideas and playing style, all players already have a clear understanding.”