Lautaro Blanco is in Lionel Scaloni's thoughts for a fresh Argentina call-up in November. The Boca Juniors defender, who had a previous stint with the national team in 2023, is one of the new names the manager is considering for the FIFA window squad.
Scaloni has already begun planning for the world champions' future, a process that gains urgency following the international retirements of Lionel Messi and Nicolás Otamendi. The November window, running from the 9th to the 17th, will be the first without both iconic figures and opens the door for evaluating new talent. In this context, Blanco's consistency and availability for Boca position him as a serious candidate. The left-back has played 121 matches for the Buenos Aires club, scoring two goals and providing 19 assists, while remaining injury-free for the vast majority of those appearances.
A second chance
Blanco was already part of a Scaloni squad in 2023 for friendlies against Panama and Curacao, though he did not make his debut. This new consideration represents a second chance to establish himself in the Albiceleste setup. "The manager imagines some new faces in the list for the November FIFA date and one of those surprises could be Lautaro Blanco, the Boca defender," Scaloni said. His case contrasts with that of another Boca player, 19-year-old midfielder Tomás Aranda, who was also under consideration but an injury has ruled him out of immediate contention.
Scaloni's planning unfolds as Argentina comfortably leads its World Cup qualifying group with nine points from a possible nine after three wins. The team holds a five-point lead over Austria and has a goal difference of plus seven, having scored eight and conceded just one.
The national team's last outing was a 1-0 defeat to Spain in July, but the side has shown solid form with four wins in its last five matches. The next fixture is a qualifier against Bolivia on October 1st, an opponent Argentina thrashed 6-0 in their last meeting in 2024. All upcoming match information is available on the fixtures schedule.
The potential inclusion of Lautaro Blanco shows Scaloni's search to rejuvenate and add depth to a defence entering a new era. With Messi as the season's top scorer with eight goals, the focus now also expands to players who can provide solidity and attacking width from the flanks for the long term. The definitive squad for November will be announced in the coming weeks.
The original report is at TyC Sports
