Lionel Messi is set to play one of his final matches of the year on Thursday as Argentina face Paraguay in South American World Cup qualifying. Coach Lionel Scaloni has assembled a formidable attacking trio, pairing Messi with two other stars.
By Alejandro Lopez Vega
By Alejandro Lopez Vega
Argentina currently lead the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, edging closer to securing their spot in the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Their next challenge comes against Paraguay in Asuncion, where coach Lionel Scaloni has decided to give Lionel Messi a place in the starting lineup, anchoring an attack designed to overwhelm opponents.
Messi will reprise his role on Argentina’s front line, with freedom to roam and minimal defensive responsibilities. Complementing him will be Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez , both enjoying exceptional form for their respective clubs.
Martinez scored six goals for Inter Milan this season in Serie A, while Alvarez netted seven for Atletico Madrid in LaLiga. This trio showed its potential last month, when Messi dazzled with a hat-trick and two assists against Bolivia.
Argentina’s starting lineup is: Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez.
Scaloni also boasts a star-studded bench, including Geronimo Rulli, Walter Benitez, Gonzalo Montiel, Facundo Medina, Leonardo Balerdi, Leandro Paredes, Exequiel Palacios, Giovani Lo Celso, Thiago Almada, Nicolas Paz, Valentin Castellanos, and Alejandro Garnacho, providing options to inject fresh energy as needed.
Lautaro Martinez of Argentina claps hands with Julian Alvarez of Argentina during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Argentina and Paraguay
Paraguay have endured a rocky start to the qualifiers, including two coaching changes in their first six games. However, under Gustavo Alfaro’s leadership since August, the team has found new life and climbed into contention for a World Cup spot.
Alfaro, an experienced Argentine coach, is known for crafting disciplined strategies that can frustrate even the strongest opponents. Paraguay will likely adopt a compact, defensively oriented approach against the reigning world champions.
Alfaro’s starting XI is: Roberto Fernandez; Gustavo Velazquez, Gustavo Gomez, Omar Alderete, Junior Alonso; Diego Gomez, Andres Cubas, Damian Bobadilla; Miguel Almiron, Julio Enciso; Antonio Sanabria.
The substitutes are Carlos Coronel, Juan Espinola, Cesar Olmedo, Fabian Balbuena, Ramon Sosa, Angel Romero, Matias Galarza, Alejandro Romero Gamarra, Alex Arce, Mathias Villasanti, Isidro Pitta, and Santiago Arzamendia.
see also
Where to watch Paraguay vs Argentina live in the USA: Conmebol World Cup Qualifiers
Thursday’s clash between Paraguay and Argentina headlines Matchday 11 of the South American qualifiers, with several other pivotal matches on the schedule. Brazil, led by Vinicius Jr., face a tricky away test against Venezuela, while Ecuador host Bolivia. On Friday, the standout fixture sees Uruguay take on Colombia in what promises to be an intense battle, while Peru square off against Chile.
Alejandro Lopez Vega is a seasoned sports journalist who joined Bolavip US in October 2024. With more than thirteen years of experience in news writing, sports analysis, and event coverage, he specializes in soccer and basketball. Fluent in both Spanish and English, Alejandro has worked with various media outlets in Rosario, Argentina, such as Radio La Red and Radio Mitre. He has also been part of the Communication and Press Department for the soccer teams Newell's Old Boys and Central Córdoba. In addition to his journalism career, Alejandro is a lawyer, having graduated from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario, which brings a unique legal perspective to his sports analysis, going beyond the athletic aspects of events.
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