Messi Absent, But Argentina Edge Venezuela in Miami Clash
It wasn’t about the magic of Messi this time. Yet, the Argentine public football team still set up its meter in Miami, grinding out a 1 – 0 win over Venezuela in a friendly at the Hard Rock Stadium.
Lionel Messi watched calmly from the dais, accompanied by his family, a rare sight for suckers used to his on-field brilliance. The global icon’s absence still didn’t stop La Albiceleste from asserting dominance.
Public trainer Lionel Scaloni made it clear after the final whistle that resting Messi was a deliberate move.
“I decided that Leo [Messi] would not play,” Scaloni explained. “We wanted to try Lautaro [Martínez] and Julián [Álvarez] and had José Manuel López on the bench. I thought it was a valid option.”
His choice paid off. Argentina pressed hard, sharp in possession and grim up front, tallying 19 shots, 11 of them on target.
The advance came courtesy of Giovani Lo Celso, who finished coolly after a slick exchange with Lautaro Martínez. A thing that defined Argentina’s dominance on the night.
| GOAL: GIOVANI LO CELSO OPENS THE SCORING FOR ARGENTINA!
Argentina 1-0 Venezuela pic.twitter.com/dpC1vPxbJi
— TheGoalsZone ✨ (@TheGoalsZone) October 11, 2025
Attention now shifts to Argentina’s next friendly against Puerto Rico on 14 October. Scaloni suggested that Messi could make a return.
“Let’s hope Messi can be there on Tuesday. We’ll see how things unfold in the coming days,” he added, keeping fans hopeful.
Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s teammate at Inter Miami, began on the bench but entered in the second half, replacing Julián Álvarez. His energy sustained Argentina’s control as they closed out the match.
Back in Florida, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano addressed the ongoing curiosity surrounding Messi’s availability for club duty.
“I’d love it. Imagine being able to have Leo Messi,” said Mascherano. “But the reality is he hasn’t been with us, and I’ll repeat this because we’re talking about Leo. Now we’ll see tonight what happens.”
Inter Miami have formally punched their ticket to the 2025 MLS playoffs but are now eyeing a stronger position in the Eastern Conference for that all-important home-field advantage.
Argentina verified a reversal within the team; youth Franco Mastantuono will sit out the rest of the training camp after suffering a left hamstring injury.
Friday night’s friendly was a memorial Argentina can shine, indeed, without their amulet. The chemistry between Lautaro and Lo Celso showed promise. The platoon’s depth, emotional.
