No Messi as Argentina visit Ecuador for final World Cup qualifier | OneFootball

The Argentine national team, without its star and captain Lionel Messi, will visit Ecuador this Tuesday as part of the final round of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The match will take place at the Banco Pichincha Stadium in Guayaquil at 8:00 PM, with Colombian referee Wilmar Roldán officiating. The broadcast will be handled by TyC Sports and Telefe.

Coach Lionel Scaloni’s team is coming off a 3-0 win over Venezuela last Thursday, in the penultimate round of the South American Qualifiers. Already qualified for next year’s World Cup and having secured first place a few rounds ago, the Argentine national team enjoyed the last performance of its captain Lionel Messi wearing the albiceleste jersey at home.

In fact, the Argentine star did not travel to Ecuador and will not be present for this final match of the South American Qualifiers, where Scaloni plans to make several changes now that qualification and first place are secured.

The coach will make four changes: central defender Leonardo Balerdi will come in for Cristian Romero, midfielder Alexis Mac Allister will replace Franco Mastantuono, Nicolás Paz will take the place of Thiago Almada, and forward Nicolás González will fill Messi’s spot.

In addition to these four changes, the native of Pujato, Santa Fe, still has some doubts: Nahuel Molina or Gonzalo Montiel at right back, Nicolás Tagliafico or Marcos Acuña on the left side of defense, Rodrigo De Paul or Exequiel Palacios in midfield, and up front, Giuliano Simeone, Julián Álvarez, or Lautaro Martínez.

For their part, the team led by Argentine Sebastián Beccacece is coming off a 0-0 draw with Paraguay, away from home, in the penultimate round of the South American Qualifiers. “La Tri” heads into this final match of the tournament in fourth place with 26 points, already qualified for next year’s World Cup.

For this match against Argentina, the former Defensa y Justicia coach will make four changes: in midfield, Moisés Caicedo, Alan Franco, and Gonzalo Plata will come in for Ángelo Preciado, Pedro Vite, and Jordy Acivar, respectively, while Kevin Rodríguez would replace Kendry Páez up front.

Additionally, Beccacece has two doubts: Joel Ordóñez or Preciado at right back and Jhon Yeboah or Nilson Ángulo in midfield.

These are the probable lineups and other details of the match

South American Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada – Matchday 18

Ecuador – Argentina

Stadium: Banco Pichincha, Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Referee: Wilmar Roldán (Colombia)

Ecuador: Hernán Galíndez; Joel Ordoñez or Ángelo Preciado, Willian Pacho, Piero Hincapié, Pervis Estupiñán; Moisés Caicedo, Alan Franco, Gonzalo Plata, John Yeboah or Nilson Angulo; Kevin Rodríguez and Enner Valencia. Coach: Sebastián Beccacece.

Argentina: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina or Gonzalo Montiel, Leonardo Balerdi, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico or Marcos Acuña; Rodrigo De Paul or Exequiel Palacios, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister; Nicolás Paz, Giuliano Simeone, Julián Álvarez or Lautaro Martínez, and Nicolás González. Coach: Lionel Scaloni.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.