Argentina Defeats Bolivia 4-0 in Friendly Without Messi

Argentina secured a decisive 4-0 victory over Bolivia in an international friendly on Wednesday at Cordoba's Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium. The match marked team's first fixture without Lionel Messi, with central defender Cristian Romero captaining the squad.

Argentina Dominates First Half Possession

Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring in the 19th minute, followed by Nico Paz ten minutes later, doubling Argentina's lead. The home side maintained approximately 80% ball possession during the first half, preventing Bolivia from registering any shots on target until the second half.

This friendly represented Argentina's initial collective performance since This friendly represented Argentina's initial collective performance since their 2026 World Cup final appearance. Coach Lionel Scaloni opted to leave the iconic number 10 shirt unassigned for the match, a decision intended to keep the jersey vacant until Messi completes his final scheduled international appearance. Romero and Lopez Extend Lead Cristian Romero, wearing the captain's armband, extended Argentina's advantage in the 8th minute of the second half, heading the ball past goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra. Jose Manuel Lopez, a Palmeiras forward, scored the fourth goal in the 41st minute of the second half, marking his first international goal for Argentina's senior team. Lopez's goal came after a direct attacking run, with a loose ball falling to him inside the penalty area following a dispossessed dribble by Leonel Flores. This late conversion solidified Argentina's dominant performance. Scaloni Discusses Captaincy and Jersey

Following the match, Coach Lionel Scaloni commented on Romero's captaincy, emphasizing the defender's increased responsibility. Scaloni stated that Romero "must embrace this responsibility" and continue to improve across various areas. Scaloni also explained the decision to leave the number 10 jersey vacant, linking it directly to Messi's schedule. He indicated the jersey would remain unassigned until Messi plays his designated farewell match, after which a new player would eventually inherit it. Upcoming Fixtures and Messi's Farewell Argentina's team travels to Buenos Aires to prepare for an October 3 match against Burkina Faso. This contest will serve as the final preparation before the exhibition match on October 6 against Benin, which is scheduled as Lionel Messi's concluding international appearance for team.