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Argentina begin life after Messi with Bolivia friendly
Argentina begin life after Messi with Bolivia friendly / Photo: JUAN MABROMATA - AFP/File

Argentina begin life after Messi with Bolivia friendly

Argentina's post-Lionel Messi era will begin with a friendly against Bolivia on September 30, followed by matches against Burkina Faso and Benin, the Argentine football association said on Tuesday.

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The game against Bolivia will take place in Cordoba, while River Plate's Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires will stage the two fixtures against the African sides on October 3 and 6.

Last month FIFA ordered Argentina to play their next home match with capacity reduced to 50 percent for breaches of its disciplinary code relating to using a sports event for making demonstrations of a non-sporting nature.

After Argentina beat England 2-1 in a tense World Cup semi-final in July, several players held up a banner saying: "The Falklands are Argentine".

The friendlies are also expected to count towards suspensions handed down following incidents after Argentina's World Cup final defeat by Spain.

Midfielder Leandro Paredes received a 10-match ban, while defender Nahuel Molina was suspended for seven games and Thiago Almada for one.

Messi in August ended a two-decade international career that included winning the 2022 World Cup and Copa America triumphs in 2021 and 2024.

P.Cavaco--PC