Lionel Scaloni admits Lionel Messi & Angel Di María are 'irreplaceable' as Argentina boss hints at ushering in 'different' style of play after ex-Real Madrid star's retirement

Di Maria walked away from the international stage in the summer after inspiring Argentina to their record 16th Copa America title by beating Colombia 1-0 in the final. The former Real Madrid winger was also a key figure at the 2021 Copa America, scoring the winner in the final and went on to get his name on the scoresheet in the 2022 World Cup showpiece as Argentina secured their third global title.

Scaloni hailed Di Maria after the 2024 Copa America final and labelled his performance as "one of the best" in his career. The manager had hoped to convince the winger to rethink his retirement decision with the 2026 World Cup in sight but his efforts were in vain.

Scaloni admitted that he cannot replace either Messi or Di Maria but will try to play "differently" in the absence of the Benfica star.

"They are irreplaceable," he stated in an interview with Clank!. "They are not players that can be replaced, it is impossible. There is no chance, both Fideo and Leo are unique players.

"In the case of Fideo, we will not look for a replacement. It would be a mistake to look for a player who can do the same as him, he doesn't exist. It is true that he gave us width both on the right and on the left. We will try to find a player who can provide that width. Then the 1v1, understanding the play and getting out of the galley incredible plays only he had it. I'm not saying that the team should reset itself, but why not play differently because Ángel is not there."

It has been suggested that Messi could follow Di Maria into retirement in the near future, though the Inter Miami star has not yet ruled out playing at the 2026 World Cup. Argentina are leading the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying table with 18 points from eight matches. They will be back in action during the October international break against Venezuela and Bolivia.