The Argentina national team could play Senegal in March.
Lionel Scaloni’s team could play two matches in March 2026 and one of them could be against Senegal. According to Equipe du Senegal, the Senegalese Football Federation received propositions to play the Argentina national team and the Saudi Arabian national team.
Argentina are rumored to play Spain in the Finalissima in March and this would be the second match if it does happen. Argentina have been drawn in Group J at the World Cup along with Algeria, Austria and Jordan while Senegal are in Group I with France, Norway and a playoff winner.
The gap between international friendlies is too long for many new players to properly fit into Scaloni’s system, and this applies to every national team. The training sessions before matches are far more important for building chemistry, and bringing in too many new players can backfire. We saw this in 2009/10, when Diego selected many new players everymatch and each player only got one chance. In 2018 we went with the same aging squad and we all know how it ended.
Scaloni’s approach is different. He stuck with Mac Allister until he was fully integrated into the system, and that patience paid off. Mac Allister ended up being one of the best midfielders at the World Cup and for Liverpool last season.
This season, Slot has brought in too many high-profile players and has struggled to integrate them. He is trying to replace the core of the team, and that decision has backfired.
Knowing Scaloni, he will continue to trust his core players regardless of their current form or level. De Paul, Lo Celso, Molina, and Montiel have declined significantly. Otamendi, Nico González, and Paredes have passed his test as backup players , but their real test, pace and overall level will come at the World Cup. Palacios is always injured and before Scaloni could test Equi he is also injured for a while now. No guarantee that our core will all stay before the world cup. Not testing new players in the comparatively easier WCQs is hurting us.
Argentina has some excellent attacking talent, but the midfield is heavily dependent on Enzo and Mac Allister. In defense, only Cuti is truly reliable the others are either aging, inconsistent, or frequently injured.
Winning back-to-back World Cups is extremely difficult. The lack of pace, the absence of a true third midfielder to replace Depaul and the need for two fast, defensively reliable fullbacks could hurt the team. Scaloni still has not found a consistent center-back partner for Cuti since Licha injury.
Golazo Lucas Beltran!
Why would Argentina play anyone in March right before or right after the finalissma ? Answer: they wouldn’t
But the friendliest before the World Cup it would be beneficial to play Tunisia whom mirrors Algeria and a team like Switzerland that is similar to Austria.
My comment after the WC draw..last week..
“Hopefully Argentina will arrange a friendly against an African team like Tunisia or Senegal…and one against an European team like Denmark or Switzerland.”
AFA is thinking right..!