Lionel Messi is called up to Argentina, while Inter Miami is still in the MLS Cup play-offs; Full squad list for friendly match in Angola

Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi and teammate Rodrigo De Paul, whose club is in the first round of the MLS Cup play-offs, have been selected for Argentina’s friendly against Angola next week.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni named the forward and midfielder in the 24-player squad for the November 14 friendly match.

Inter Miami and Nashville FC split the first two games of their MLS Cup playoff series, with the decisive Game 3 on Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Should Inter Miami advance, the Eastern Conference semifinals would not begin until November 22 or 23.

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The pair represented Argentina in two friendlies in October during the MLS regular season, with Messi playing in one match and De Paul playing both games against Venezuela and Puerto Rico.

Scaloni apparently took into account that the Argentine Primera Division did not interrupt matches during the November international period and did not select players from those teams.

“We have spoken with Scaloni to ensure that players from Argentine football teams playing decisive matches in the Clausura tournament are not called up,” Argentine Football Federation president Claudio Tapia said in an ESPN report on Thursday.

Goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez, 33, of Aston Villa, did not receive a call from the national team before the friendly.

Messi, the MLS Golden Boot winner and MLS MVP favorite, was selected to the MLS Best XI list this season. With 29 goals and 19 assists, the Inter Miami forward was one goal shy of Carlos Vela’s league record of 49 in 2019 and could be the first back-to-back MVP in league history.

Published on November 7, 2025