| Argentina vs Bolivia | |
| MATCH | Nations League |
| DATE | 01 - 10 - 2026 |
| TIME | 05.30 AM IST |
| STADIUM | Stadium |
Argentina vs Bolivia: Match Preview
Argentina return to international action when they face Bolivia in Córdoba, looking to begin another winning run after their impressive streak was ended by Spain in July.
La Scaloneta had won 14 consecutive matches before their World Cup ambitions were halted by Ferran Torres' extra-time goal. Lionel Scaloni's side will now aim to respond strongly in their first match since that defeat.
Argentina have dominated this fixture in recent years, winning nine of their last 10 meetings with Bolivia. They have also kept clean sheets in their previous three victories over La Verde, underlining the difficulty Bolivia could face in Córdoba.
Messi is not expected to feature, with his planned farewell appearance scheduled for October 6. However, Argentina still have plenty of experience and quality throughout the squad, with players such as Cristian Romero, Emiliano Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi and Lautaro Martinez expected to provide a strong foundation.
Bolivia, meanwhile, arrive in difficult form. Their hopes of reaching the World Cup ended with a 2-1 defeat against Iraq in the inter-confederation playoff in March. Although they had previously recorded wins over Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname, their recent results have been disappointing.
La Verde have lost their last four matches, including friendly defeats against Scotland, Algeria and Paraguay. They failed to score in those three most recent games while conceding 10 goals.
Argentina therefore enter the contest with a significant advantage in both recent form and head-to-head history, although Bolivia will look to make the match competitive and end their current run of defeats.
Argentina Form
W – W – W – W – W – L
Bolivia Form
W – W – L – L – L – L
Team News
Messi remains part of Argentina's squad but is not expected to play in Córdoba.
Leandro Paredes is unavailable due to suspension following his disciplinary incident after the World Cup final. Juan Foyth and Thiago Almada have also withdrawn from the squad because of injuries.
Scaloni has retained several experienced players, including captain Cristian Romero, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi and Lautaro Martinez. The Argentina coach could also hand international debuts to a number of younger players.
Matias Soule and Santiago Castro are among those hoping to make their first appearances, while Leonel Flores, Tobias Andrada, Santino Simon, Equi Fernandez, Valentin Gomez, Tomas Palacios and Roman Vega are also included.
Bolivia did not report any major injury concerns following their latest friendly, leaving coach Oscar Villegas with a fully available squad.
Rai Lima, Damian Medina and Rodrigo Banegas could be in contention for their international debuts after remaining unused in the previous match.
Miguel Terceros is one of Bolivia's main attacking threats. The winger has scored nine international goals and will be one of the players Argentina will need to monitor closely.
Match Outlook
Argentina's strong record against Bolivia and their depth across the squad make this an intriguing international fixture. Bolivia will need to produce a disciplined defensive performance and improve their attacking output if they are to challenge the reigning world champions in Córdoba.