Lionel Messi was rested on Tuesday for the trip of the Argentine world champions to Bolivia, where they won 3-0 for the second day of South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. In La Paz, at 3,650 meters altitude, the Argentinians scored through Enzo Fernandez (31st), Nicolas Tagliafico (42nd) and Nicolas Gonzalez (83rd).
The seven-time Ballon d’Or was the savior of his team on Thursday against Ecuador, scoring a superb free kick which gave victory to Albiceleste (1-0). He was then replaced three minutes from the end of the match. Messi then admitted to being “a little tired”, and coach Lionel Scaloni said that Messi himself had asked to go out. The 36-year-old playmaker remains on a string of twelve matches in the last 49 days, eleven with his club Inter Miami and one with the selection.
