With Argentina already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, coach Lionel Scaloni is preparing his squad for the upcoming South American qualifiers against Chile and Colombia, scheduled for June 5 and 10. However, this international window comes just days before the start of the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States on June 14, complicating player availability for several teams.
Traditionally, Scaloni has relied on a core group of domestic-based players from River Plate, including Franco Armani, Germán Pezzella, Gonzalo Montiel, and Marcos Acuña. But for this double matchday, changes are expected — and two new names from Argentina’s local league are making headlines.
One of them is Kevin Lomónaco, a 23-year-old center-back currently playing for Independiente. Tall and strong in the air, Lomónaco is on loan from Brazil’s Red Bull Bragantino and has impressed since his return to the Argentine league.
The other standout is Franco Mastantuono, River Plate’s 17-year-old attacking midfielder who has become one of the most exciting young talents in Argentine football.
It is yet to be confirmed if Scaloni decides to call them up, or if these players will have to wait a bit longer for their first opportunity with the senior national team.
Enzo Fernandez to join Real Madrid..?!
Inter Miami performance this season has already exposed how underwhelming Mascherano is as a manager! His pathetic tactics will humiliate Miami in the club world cup. To make matters worse, Suarez looks like he is absolutely finished at this point. Porto and Palmeiras are going to hammer Messi and Miami!
Inter Miami is in shambles from defense to offense except for Ustari whose been a pleasant surprise and Messi could only do so much at this age. Masche should have never been hired and was only so because of Messi, I just hope he doesn’t get embarrassed too much at the Club WC.
Strange observation. Oscar Ustari is far from anything good. Maybe we are talking about different GKs.
If my info is correct then Atletico, Chelsea, Juve, Inter, Benfica and Porto are all expected to participate. That means that the following may not be available:
DePaul, Simeone Jr, Molina, Julian, Lautaro, Nico Gonzalez, Otamendi, Varela and Nahuen Perez.
This would give the likes of Belardi (instead of Otamendi) and Foyth (instead of Molina) a chance to play at the back.
It would give Celso or Palacios or Nico Paz a chance to take up De Paul’s spot and it would give Taty or Castro the chance to take up Julian and Lautaro’s spots.
Nico Gonzalez won’t be missed on the left with Almada and Garnacho being there and on the right maybe Soule will get a (well deserved) call up if Nico and Simeone Jr aren’t available.
We should all remember that, according to the FIFA rules, the NT gets precedence over the club world cup, so none of the players I mentioned at the top have to go with their clubs but since Argentina is qualified Scaloni can play nice with the clubs and let those aforementioned players go.
Argentina has already qualified for the World cup which means there is no better time to test new combinations. Both LB and RB positions desperately need reinforcement and with Licha contantly getting injured, we also need a new starting CB. I am okay if the some of the main players miss out!
Scaloni should try the backup players in all the positions. Best chance to test.
Its a timei for experiment . I think its over for OTAMENDI
.couple of new defenders need to be set before WC..
There is no reason the players from RIVER PLATE to be called for those 2 games. National team don t need them anyway. They are not starters anymore so no reason. On the other side RIVER need them for the club world cup. They are core players. So everybody gain with this way.
It’s true, Mastantuono is needed at River a lot more than at the NT. Club World Cup would be a new experience form him.
If Nehuen Perez and Senesi have not been called, does Lomónaco call up make sense? I don’t think so.
Lomonaco is way better defender than them, close to Cuti Romero.
A tweet from X on Kevin Lomonaco
“Been watching a lot of Kevin Lomonaco, and I feel sorry for myself for not doing it earlier. The most Piqué-sque player I have seen since Piqué himself. Tall, strong CB, who uses his body well to win ground and aerial duels, superb passing range as well as carrying of the ball.”
@Csabala, considering you follow the Argentine league, do you rate him this high?
Im very impressed with him, Pique-esque CB with great passing and on the ball skills but a lot more aggresive like Cuti. 192 cm but fast and athletic. Complete package. After Otamendi he could be Cuti CB pair in the future. I hope he or Cuti can play LCB as Otamendi. Lisandro fitness level is worrying+ACL.
Yeah, but what is the level of opposition he faced, with all due respect to the local league, that many of us like and respect, myself included.
Cuti Romero famously said that he learned how to defend at Genoa. The kind of strikers that Lomonaco needs to defend against is simply not up to par currently.