World champions Argentina are set to face Angola in an upcoming international friendly during the next break. Expectations were high after Lionel Scaloni announced his squad, but before the match, bad news arrived for the fans — Enzo Fernández, one of the team’s most reliable midfielders, has been ruled out due to injury.
Argentina will take on Angola on November 14, but about a week before the game, the Argentine Football Association confirmed Enzo’s injury. The Chelsea star is expected to need some time to recover, meaning Scaloni’s side will have to make do without him for this month’s friendly fixtures.
In Enzo’s absence, the Argentine management has made a change to the squad, calling up Kevin Mac Allister for the first time in his career. Kevin is the elder brother of Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister. The 28-year-old currently plays as a defender for Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium.
After receiving his first national team call-up, Kevin expressed his excitement, saying: “I found out about it two hours before our match yesterday. Tomorrow, I’ll be flying to Alicante to join the national team. This is my first time, and I know I didn’t achieve it alone — it’s thanks to everyone in this dressing room. I want to thank them all.”
He added: “My family is overjoyed. When I called my wife, she burst into tears. It’s an incredible feeling. Tomorrow, I’ll be taking the first step toward fulfilling a dream.”
If he gets the chance to wear Argentina’s jersey, Kevin Mac Allister will begin a new chapter in his football journey. While Enzo’s injury is a big setback for the coaching staff, Scaloni sees this as an opportunity to test some fresh faces and explore future prospects for the national team.
The match will take place in Alicante, Spain, where the world champions will feature a few new names — and among them, the most talked-about is undoubtedly Kevin Mac Allister.