Argentina national team, left without Messi, defeated by Uruguay at home

14 November 2026, 09:122 min read5

World champion Argentina faced their arch-rivals Uruguay in a friendly match held on home soil. The uncompromising clash at the famous "Alberto Jose Armando" stadium in Buenos Aires ended in a victory for the visitors — 1:2.

Intense struggle and second-half goals

The first half of the match was evenly contested, with no goals scored. However, the situation on the pitch changed dramatically as soon as the second half began:

48th minute: Defender Leonardo Balerdi scored an own goal, giving the Uruguayans the lead (0:1).
54th minute: Just six minutes later, Maximiliano Araujo doubled the Uruguayan lead (0:2).
73rd minute: Julian Alvarez narrowed the gap with a precise strike, giving hope to the "Albiceleste" (1:2).

However, the Argentinians' efforts to equalize for the remainder of the match proved fruitless. The Argentina national team suffered a defeat in their first game since Lionel Messi left the national team.

Match details	Stats and data
Score	Argentina — Uruguay — 1:2
Goals	Balerdi 48' (own goal), Araujo 54' — Alvarez 73'
Stadium	"Alberto Jose Armando", Buenos Aires
Head coaches and squads	Squads consisting of young and new names were tested

Starting lineups

In this match, both head coaches mainly rotated their squads, giving opportunities to young and new players.

For Argentina: Rulli, Medina (Vega, 83), Montiel (Giay, 83), Lisandro Martinez, Balerdi, Palacios (Soule, 46), Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Almada (Prestianni, 60), Nico Paz, Julian Alvarez took the field.
For Uruguay: Fermarin, Olivera, Ronald Araujo, Varela, Piquerez (Caceres, 58), Canobbio (Valverde, 58), Torreira (Viñas, 76), Bentancur, Maximiliano Araujo (Pellistri, 85), De Arrascaeta (Bernal, 76), Nunez (Aguirre, 85) and other well-known players were in action.

Upcoming tests

After the defeat, both teams continue with their plans. On November 18 of this year, the Argentina national team will play their next friendly match against Costa Rica. On the same day, Uruguay is scheduled to face the Dominican Republic national team.

In your opinion, how seriously is the departure of Lionel Messi affecting the performance and results of the Argentina national team? Leave your thoughts in the comments!