The captain is in the house. Lionel Messi Arrive in Argentina this Sunday morning to attend a concentration camp choose and prepare for the important showdown Uruguay and Brazil For double dates South American Qualifiers Go to 2026 world cup.
“Always a pleasure to come back””, the star wrote on his official Instagram account, along with a photo of the entrance to the hotel building.
Lionel Messi posts as he arrives at the estate that bears his name in Ezeiza as he awaits the start of training with the Argentina national team.On a private jet, the World Champions star walked off the track with his dad Jorge and his usual company – which included his old friend Pepe Costa – but then crossed The main entrance to the VIP area, where there are cameras and a few fans. able to greet him from afar, The flea moved its right hand and returned.
He was also received by Beto Pernas, one of the people in the AFA administration responsible for the logistics of the national team, and “La Mona”, one of the prop members who drove the truck that took the delegation to its destination. the property.
After fully recovering from the muscle injury that affected him more than a month ago, he is expected to play against Uruguay Next Thursday in the Candy Box, just like Tuesday the 21st with a great showdown in the South American Classic Brazil At the legendary Maracanã Stadium.
On October 17, he scored two goals in Lima’s match against Peru and performed well. Messi only played 180 minutes for Inter Miami.
He beat Charlotte 1-0 in Miami on October 22, with Gerardo Martino’s side on Friday after canceling a trip to China that included two friendlies. A friendly match was organized for him so that he could not lose his rhythm, but also in recognition of his eighth Ballon d’Or.
Messi’s two new teammates for the national team
The remaining players will arrive between Sunday night and Monday morning, completing the 28-man squad announced by Scaloni two days ago.
Captain They arrived from London a few hours later, Christian “Cutty” Romero and Giovanni Lo Celsowho was released tottenham hotspur After playing in the Premier League on Saturday.
The first training session will begin at 4:00 pm on Monday and will be held behind closed doors. On Tuesday, the training ground will be open to the media for 15 minutes, and Scaloni’s official press conference will be held the next day.
In the call, in addition to the usual acquaintance and return of Messi Angel Di Maria At the head, the defender’s presence is noticeable Pablo Maffeofrom Mallorca, Spain, and Francisco Ortega, from Olympiacos, Greece. These are two new faces for the national team who will be making their first appearance for Albiceleste.
There is an interesting story behind Maffeo. He was born in Barcelona, Spain 26 years ago and has participated in all small-level matches of the Spanish red team. But, as in the case of Alejandro Garnacho, the son of an Argentinian mother and an Italian father, his “albiceleste” ancestry served as a safe pass so that he could obtain an Argentinian passport and subsequently Handle changes of federation before FIFA. , is a necessary condition to be able to wear a three-star jacket.
His summons responds to the fact that Scaloni’s coaching staff are looking for alternatives to compensate for the loss of two world champions, Gonzalo Montiel and Juan Foyth, who have different physical issues. . The former River Plate man, who currently plays for Nottingham Forest, has been called up but has only just recovered from an injury picked up against Peru, while the former schoolboy has not yet been discharged from hospital with a knee injury. In this position, Nahuel Molina established himself as a starter.
Maffeo played 10 games for Mallorca this season. He performed well in the 2022-2023 season, playing 35 times, scoring 2 goals, and sending 4 headers and 4 assists. He is 1.73 meters tall, has accurate marking and excellent shooting. A good example of the style Scaloneta often displays. He played for Girona, Manchester City, Stuttgart and Huesca before playing for the Balearic club.
A similar situation happened to Ortega, who is 24 years old and has played in the youth team. He trained in the lower leagues of Vélez and served as a left-side marker. He will be a replacement for Nicolas Tagliafico and Marcos Acuña, who have been sidelined by a series of injuries.