Argentina opened their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ecuador on Thursday, thanks to a second-half goal from their captain, Lionel Messi.
In a match marked by Argentina’s dominance in possession but struggles in attack, Messi’s exceptional form continued as he found the back of the net from a free-kick in the 77th minute. The win marks a positive start to their campaign for the reigning world champions.
Despite their superiority, Argentina faced a resilient Ecuadorian side with a strong defense and physical presence on the field. Messi acknowledged the challenges posed by their opponents, stating, “We played against a great team, with good players and physically strong. Everyone always wants to beat Argentina, and even more so now that we are the world champions. We can’t relax; we have to improve on what we’ve been doing.”
Messi’s crucial goal also saw him join his close friend Luis Suarez of Uruguay as the all-time top scorer in South American World Cup qualifiers with 29 goals. The accomplishment carries special significance for both players, given the importance of the qualifiers in South American football.
The victory sets the tone for Argentina’s World Cup qualifying campaign, with their primary objective being to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup. Messi expressed their determination to achieve this goal, saying, “The objective is to qualify for the World Cup again. We really enjoyed what we did, but we have to look ahead.”
Argentina will face Bolivia in their next qualifying match on Tuesday, seeking to build on their winning start.
In other South American qualifiers, Paraguay played out a goalless draw against Peru, while Colombia secured a narrow 1-0 home win over Venezuela.
As the first round of CONMEBOL qualifiers continues, Uruguay will host Chile, and Brazil will take on Bolivia on Friday, adding to the excitement of the regional qualifying competition.
