Argentina national team's captain and player No. 10 scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Ecuador, at the Mâs Monumental stadium, on Matchday 1 of the South American 2026 World Cup qualification.
The Argentina national team has returned to Argentina to play an official match at the beginning of the road to the next World Cup. In an intense and very tight match, Lionel Scaloni’s team claimed the win in the final stretch of the match, thanks to a masterpiece of a goal by Leo Messi: Argentina's No. 10 skillfully tucked a free kick just inside one of the posts.
Enzo Fernández was in the starting XI, while Julián Álvarez and Exequiel Palacios subbed onto the field in the second half. Furthermore, Franco Armani was on the substitute's bench with former River Plate players Facundo Medina, Gonzalo Montiel, Germán Pezzella, and Guido Rodríguez.
Next Tuesday, Argentina will play the second match away against Bolivia.