Scaloni Confirms Key Plans for Argentina’s U.S. Tour in October

Argentina will embark on a U.S. tour next month with friendlies against Venezuela and Puerto Rico, TyC Sports reported. With Lionel Messi confirmed, head coach Lionel Scaloni is expected to maintain the core of his roster while giving opportunities to players who have not seen much action.

The world champions will face Venezuela on Friday, October 10 at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, followed by Puerto Rico on Monday, October 13 at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Both matches are set to provide Scaloni with a chance to experiment after Argentina dominated South American World Cup qualifying.

Potential debutants include Bournemouth full-back Julio Soler, Porto midfielder Alan Varela, Bayer Leverkusen’s Claudio Echeverri, and Palmeiras striker José López. Others such as Valentín Carboni (Genoa) and Nicolás Paz (Como) could also earn valuable minutes after limited appearances in previous call-ups.

Defenders Leonardo Balerdi and Juan Foyth are likely to feature, while midfielders Exequiel Palacios and Giovanni Lo Celso remain firm options as Scaloni builds toward 2026.

The October and November friendlies will serve as the final testing ground before Argentina meets Spain in the Finalissima next March, making this tour a crucial step in shaping the squad for the next World Cup.