Puerto Rico and Argentina go head-to-head in an international friendly on Tuesday night at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Argentina is fine-tuning preparations for the 2026 World Cup while Puerto Rico seek to test itself against the world champions in what marks their first-ever meeting.
Puerto Rico vs Argentina – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: 15th October, Wednesday.
- Kick-off: 1 am BST.
- Venue: Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Team News
Puerto Rico
In goal, Puerto Rico could hand a start to Sebastian Cutler. The 22-year-old from Villanova University has already established himself as the national team’s number one. In fact, the Brooklyn-born shot-stopper has impressed for both club and country, featuring regularly in their recent qualifying campaign.
In defence, manager Charlie Trout will likely field a backline featuring captain Nicolas Cardona, alongside Giovanni Calderon and Sidney Paris. The experienced Cardona is a consistent performer, so his leadership will be crucial in organising the defence against Argentina’s formidable attack.
Meanwhile, in attack, Leandro Antonetti is set to lead the line. The 22-year-old, who plays his club football in Portugal, has scored five goals in 16 appearances for his country. Born in Spain, Antonetti will be eager to make an impression against the world champions. Finally, the team have called up Roberto Ydrach. The Pittsburgh Riverhounds player is expected to feature in midfield and should bring fresh energy to the side for this historic encounter.
Argentina
Argentina may rotate their squad heavily for this friendly. Indeed, coach Lionel Scaloni has indicated he will use the match to experiment with new players. The world champions have already secured their place at the 2026 World Cup, so they are using these friendlies as important preparation matches.
In a major boost for the team, Lionel Messi has returned to the squad after scoring in Inter Miami’s victory on Saturday. However, Scaloni has emphasised he will “not take any risks” with his captain or other key players.
Regarding absences, Enzo Fernandez has withdrawn from the squad due to a knee injury and returned to Chelsea for treatment. Consequently, his absence opens up opportunities for midfielders like Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul, and Anibal Moreno. Additionally, a thigh issue ruled out Franco Mastantuono before the last match. On a positive note, Giovani Lo Celso remains available after scoring the winner against Venezuela.
Finally, in defence, experienced players like Nicolas Otamendi and Leonardo Balerdi are expected to feature. Scaloni will look to them to maintain solidity while he rotates other parts of the team.
Form
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico’s last competitive action was in June. On that occasion, they ended their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Despite that positive result, however, Charlie Trout’s side failed to progress from the second round of CONCACAF qualifying. They ultimately finished third in Group F, behind both Suriname and El Salvador. As a result, the team have struggled for consistency in their recent matches.
Argentina
Argentina returned to winning ways on Friday with a 1-0 victory over Venezuela, where Giovani Lo Celso scored the decisive goal. That result was a welcome one for Lionel Scaloni’s side. In their previous match, they had suffered a rare defeat against Ecuador in September, which ended a seven-game unbeaten run.
Despite that minor setback, however, they still comfortably topped the South American qualifying table. In the end, they finished nine points clear to easily secure their place at the 2026 World Cup. Overall, the Albiceleste are in strong form, having won seven of their last 10 international matches.
Predicted Lineups
Puerto Rico predicted XI: Cutler; Hernandez, Cardona, Calderon, Paris; Echeverria, O’Neill, Diaz, Ydrach, W. Rivera; Antonetti
Argentina predicted XI: Martinez; Montiel, Otamendi, Balerdi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Moreno, Mac Allister; Simeone, Gonzalez; Lopez
How to Watch Puerto Rico vs Argentina?
While the match will not be broadcast live in the UK, highlights will likely be made available to stream on the official FIFA website.
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