Argentina’s U-17 futsal preliminary squad completed a decisive week of preparation for the 2026 South American Championship in Ezeiza. Santiago Basile’s group is carrying out its final work before travelling to Paraguay, where it will defend the continental title from 8 to 16 August.
The training cycle comprised five sessions at the Futsal Coliseum inside the Lionel Andrés Messi complex. The programme combined physical preparation, individual technique, finishing, build-up patterns, transitions and small-sided duels. Friday’s closing session concentrated on physical demands and set plays.
The week also featured separate tactical assignments. Basile worked on attacking variations, while another group rehearsed defensive movements and responses when outnumbered with Damián Stazzone and Mauro Taffarel. Pablo Rubio led the fitness work and Mariano Gómez served as tactical assistant.
The main competitive test was a friendly against Boca Juniors’ reserve team. Two 25-minute periods were played with the clock stopped, ending in a 4-4 draw against older opponents. The match tested transitions, intensity and reaction while preserving the central objective: choosing the tournament roster.
Argentina will arrive in Luque as defending champions and the seeded team in Group B. Their campaign begins against Ecuador on Saturday 8, continues against Peru on Sunday 9 and resumes against Bolivia on Wednesday 12. The group stage concludes against Brazil on Thursday 13 in the final fixture of the five-team section.
The top two teams in each group will reach the semi-finals on Saturday 15, with the title decided on Sunday 16. Before then, the coaching staff must turn the accumulated work into a final squad and a team capable of sustaining under competitive pressure the attacking, defensive and set-play mechanisms trained in Ezeiza.
