Life after the legend
Argentina will take to the pitch without their iconic No. 10 as Scaloni prepares for a new chapter. The Albiceleste face Bolivia in a friendly on Wednesday, marking their first test of the post-Messi era.
Messi announced his international retirement in late August. However, the 39-year-old will officially bow out in a farewell match against Benin at the Monumental next week. Until then, the famous shirt remains unassigned. Scaloni is in no rush to crown a successor to the country's all-time leading scorer.
Leaving the shirt vacant
Scaloni confirmed during a press conference in Cordoba that the legendary jersey will be temporarily retired. The coach wants to wait until the captain has officially stepped away.
"We aren't obligated to assign it for these matches, so we won't give it to anyone until Leo's farewell game," Scaloni said, as quoted by ESPN. "The idea is for someone to eventually take it on, given how special it is to wear. We just haven't decided who yet."
Finding a new tactical balance
Replacing a man who scored 125 international goals is an immense challenge, and Scaloni admits the team must evolve. While the core philosophy will remain the same, the manager is ready to trial new attacking solutions.
"We'll find a way to play differently," the coach added. "That's what these matches are for, to experiment. That said, our core style still revolves around controlling the ball. From there, we'll see how we adapt."
New faces take the stage
While much of the team that suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Tournament final will feature, fresh faces are stepping up. Players such as Nico Paz, Roman Vega, Santiago Castro, and Valentín Barco are expected to get the chance to play during this international break.
Argentina must now play a friendly match against Bolivia, followed by a match against Burkina Faso on Sunday. They will then return to Buenos Aires on October 7. There, the entire nation will gather to bid a final, emotional farewell to their greatest ever player.