Argentina's 7-0 win over Burkina Faso was never going to be the whole story. In a friendly at the Estadio Monumental, Gianlucca Prestianni scored his first senior goal for the national team, added an assist and left a clear marker on a night that also carried an obvious emotional weight for Lionel Messi's approaching farewell.
Enzo Fernández on Argentina's new stage
Enzo Fernández said the mood around the squad is shaped by that transition. Speaking to A Bola, and in comments translated from Portuguese, he said: "Leo (Messi) is going to leave us, a big part of our history. A new path begins with the boys who are joining and those who were already here. It is about processing it and starting a new stage."
Fernández also added: "There is a great human group and we will continue in that line. We are waiting for him. Looking forward to him coming, we miss him a lot. We are going to share a barbecue, enjoy these days with him, he deserves it. May it be a great farewell and may he enjoy it with us."
The next Argentina game against Benin on Tuesday will mark Messi's farewell, so the focus is already shifting from one routine friendly to the handover around it. Lautaro Martínez also reached 42 goals for Argentina, level with Sergio Aguero in third place on the national team's all-time scorers list.
Prestianni and the wider squad depth
The Burkina Faso squad arrived only a few hours before kick-off after their charter flight to Argentina was unexpectedly cancelled, which made the fixture more awkward than a standard warm-up. Argentina still put seven past them, and three players, Tomás Palacios, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro, made their full senior debuts.
Prestianni's night was the one that stood out individually. A first senior goal and an assist in the same game will not decide Argentina's next cycle, but it does give Lionel Scaloni a live example of a younger player taking a chance in a match that was already carrying more significance than the scoreline alone.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
