Argentina began life without Lionel Messi on Wednesday night with a 4-0 victory over Bolivia in Cordoba, giving Lionel Scaloni’s side a positive start to a new international cycle.
The friendly at the Mario Alberto Kempes was the first of three matches during the international break and came after Argentina finished as runners-up at the 2026 World Cup, beaten 1-0 by Spain after extra time in the final.
Messi was absent after announcing his retirement from international football in August, with Cristian Romero wearing the captain’s armband. The forward is due to return for Argentina’s farewell fixture against Benin on October 6 at the Monumental.
Argentina needed only 19 minutes to take the lead when Lautaro Martinez finished after Alexis Mac Allister was involved in the build-up, with the Liverpool midfielder credited with the assist.
Exequiel Palacios then supplied Nico Paz for Argentina’s second before the half-hour mark. Paz turned provider after the break, delivering the corner for Romero to head in a third in the 54th minute.
Jose Manuel Lopez completed the scoring in the 86th minute with his first goal for the national team. Scaloni made eight substitutions as several players from the next generation were given opportunities.
Mac Allister’s performance was rated across Argentine outlets, although the marks were not uniform.
Diario Huarpe gave the Liverpool midfielder a seven out of 10, placing him alongside Palacios among Argentina’s better performers in midfield.
Most outlets settled on a six, including El Destape, Rosario3, VAVEL Argentina, 442 and Bolavip.
La Pagina Millonaria was the least generous with a five, saying he lacked the clarity to break Bolivia’s defensive line despite his part in the opening goal.
El Destape described his display as steady, saying he asked for the ball, acted as a reference point and tried to find a different way of playing with the younger players around him.
Rosario3 highlighted his assist for Lautaro and his availability as a passing option.
Bolavip said he made no mistakes in possession and produced a correct performance, although other midfielders had a greater influence on the match.
The broader Argentine reaction placed Mac Allister among the players who performed adequately in Cordoba, even if he was not the main story of the night. Paz received the strongest praise after scoring and assisting, while Palacios also attracted significant attention.
For Alexis Mac Allister, the match offered another indication of his role in Scaloni’s midfield plans. He started alongside Palacios and was replaced by Equi Fernandez in the 74th minute as Scaloni continued to introduce younger players.
Argentina now face Burkina Faso on Saturday before completing the international break against Benin on October 6, scheduled as Messi’s farewell appearance for the national team.
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