Argentina carried a 2-0 lead over Bolivia into halftime on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, in an international friendly at Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba. Argentina faced Bolivia in an international friendly at Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba, marking their first match since the 2026 World Cup final against Spain. Lionel Messi was not on the field for the occasion.
A First Test After the World Cup Final
The friendly opened a demanding stretch for coach Lionel Scaloni, who used the match to begin reshaping the squad after Argentina's run to the World Cup final earlier this year. The game against Bolivia is the first of three friendlies scheduled during this FIFA international window, with games against Burkina Faso and Benin still to come. Messi was only called up for Argentina's last friendly in this international break, against Benin on October 6, and will also miss the match against Burkina Faso.
Why Messi Was Left Out in Córdoba
Scaloni named Messi in Argentina's 35-man squad for the international friendlies, but the Inter Miami forward did not play against Bolivia. Despite his absence, the 39-year-old is expected to return when Argentina hosts Benin on October 6. In his place, Atlético Madrid defender Cristian Romero was named as Messi's successor as Argentina's captain and wore the armband for the match.
The decision ties directly into Messi's broader exit from international football. Lionel Messi announced his retirement from the Argentina national team earlier this year, and the staff has built the remaining friendlies around a planned send-off. The Benin match has been chosen as his official farewell with Argentina and a definitive end to that stage of his career. Resting him against Bolivia also gave Scaloni room to experiment, and Messi's absence made space for younger players such as Franco Mastantuono and Nicolás Paz to get minutes.
Martínez and Paz Punish Bolivia Early
Argentina needed less than half an hour to settle the contest. Lautaro Martínez opened the scoring in the 19th minute, and Nicolás Paz doubled the lead in the 29th. The second goal came from a well-worked move through the middle, as Exequiel Palacios picked out Nico Paz, who received the ball inside the box and calmly lifted it over the goalkeeper to make it 2-0.
Beyond the scoreline, Argentina dictated the tempo from the opening whistle. In Córdoba, Scaloni's side controlled more than 80 percent of possession in the first half and turned both of its shots on target into goals. The hosts carried that dominance into the second period, as Argentina and Bolivia returned to the pitch with no changes to their lineups, with the home side looking to defend its two-goal lead while Bolivia searched for a response.
The result fits a long-running pattern between the two South American sides. Historically, Argentina has won 32 of its all-time meetings with Bolivia, drawing five and losing just seven, a dominance that extended into this friendly despite the absence of its biggest star. The game was part of a packed week of international friendlies across South America and beyond, alongside results elsewhere on the continent.
What Comes Next for Scaloni's Side
Argentina's international window continues with two more friendlies before players return to their clubs. Messi will not feature against Bolivia in Córdoba or against Burkina Faso, but he is set to play against Benin on October 6 in Argentina's third and final friendly of this window, a match billed as his farewell to the national team. For Scaloni, whose contract with the federation is also set to expire at the end of the year, the Bolivia match offered an early look at how the post-Messi generation can carry the team forward, with Martínez, Paz and a reshaped roster at the center of that plan. The broader South American football calendar remains busy in the meantime, with other sides such as those in the recent friendly window also using these dates to test new combinations ahead of future qualifying cycles.