Argentina play their final home friendly this Wednesday, September 30, against Bolivia as part of their preparations for Lionel Messi's international farewell. The match will be held at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba, kicking off at 8:00 PM local time and broadcast live on Telefé.
Lionel Scaloni's side enters the fixture sitting top of their World Cup qualifying group with a perfect nine points from three games. Their next competitive match is on October 15, away to Uruguay in Montevideo. Their last result was a 1-0 loss to Spain in the July final, but the team has won four of its last five matches.
Recent history
The most recent meeting between the two nations was a one-sided affair. Argentina thrashed Bolivia 6-0 in October 2024 at El Monumental during World Cup qualifying. On that day, Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick, Julián Álvarez netted a brace, and Thiago Almada added the final goal. Messi, the current cycle's top scorer with 8 goals in 8 appearances, will be the central figure in this window.
Window context
This friendly is the first of three matches Argentina will play in just over a week. After Bolivia, the team travels to face Burkina Faso on October 3. The tour, and Messi's international career, will conclude on October 6 against Benin. For Bolivia, managed by Óscar Villegas, this is their only scheduled fixture in this FIFA window, despite it running until October 6. La Verde aims to return to a World Cup, a feat they haven't achieved since 1994.
Players to watch include several architects of the last rout, like Julián Álvarez and Enzo Fernández, alongside other key figures such as Lautaro Martínez and Alexis Mac Allister. For Bolivia, focus will be on veteran goalkeeper Carlos Lampe and young talents like Miguel Terceros. Scaloni's team will look to maintain its positive form and sturdy defense, which has conceded just once in three qualifiers. The Bolivia match is the final tune-up before their captain's historic send-off.
The original report is at espndeportes.espn.com
