Three Argentina Players Excluded from Squad Ahead of Angola Trip Due to Yellow Fever Vaccine Requirements

Three Atlético Madrid players – Julián Álvarez, Nahuel Molina, and Giuliano Simeone – will miss Argentina's upcoming friendly match against Angola on Friday in Luanda, the Angolan capital.

Coach Lionel Scaloni decided to exclude the trio from the final squad as they were unable to complete the necessary health procedures in time, specifically the yellow fever vaccine, which is a mandatory requirement for entry into Angola.

To compensate for these absences, Coach Lionel Scaloni called up defender Kevin Mac Allister from Belgian club Royal Union Saint-Gilloise, who will join his brother Alexis Mac Allister, the Liverpool midfielder. Scaloni also included attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendía from Aston Villa. The "Albiceleste" squad had gathered in Alicante, southeastern Spain, before their scheduled departure for Angola.

Angola has allocated significant resources to make this match a celebratory national event, carrying political implications and a desire to showcase an attractive and modern image of the country. Reports indicate that the Argentine Football Association received approximately 12 million euros for agreeing to play the fixture.