World Cup 2026: The Messi Roadshow Heads to Ecuador

Ecuador vs Argentina

As dead rubbers go, they don’t get much bigger than when the great Lionel Messi comes to town, and the Estadio Monumental Banco is his next destination as the South American World Cup 2026 qualifiers reach an inevitable conclusion.  

Top of the CONMEBOL World Cup table by a clear ten points, Argentina have underlined itself as the best football nation on the continent as current World and Copa America champions. That will be hard for Brazil fans to accept but you can’t really argue with results like those.     

Argentina’s next opponents, Ecuador, were already through to the finals before this international break and were joined by Uruguay, Paraguay and Colombia who make up the final six, with Brazil currently second. The hosts could climb up to second with a victory and they are a formidable opponent at home, so another Argentine celebration is by no means a foregone conclusion. 

 

Talking Points

Leo the GOAT

The World Cup 2026 betting odds say Messi and Co. are one of the favourites to win the tournament in the USA; and what a story it would be if the great man could lead his nation to back to back World titles. There is little doubt he already has legendary status in his homeland as well as Barcelona and now Miami and, in my opinion there can be little argument that the 38-year old is the greatest footballer of all time.

Argentina qualified for the finals with ease, sweeping all before them and, in a 3-0 win over Venezuela last week, Messi showed he is still at the top of the tree with two superbly taken goals, while Lautaro Martinez added a third with a spectacular diving header.

In a glittering career, Messi has smashed record after record, winning eight Ballon D’Ors, six European Golden Shoes and, this year, he was named the All Time Best World Player by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. He has scored the most goals in a calendar year with 91, a record surely never to be beaten, and Messi has won an astonishing 45 team trophies, a club record of 34 with Barcelona.

He is Argentina’s leading goal scorer of all time and the country’s most capped player, and he led his nation to its first trophy in 28 years when they picked up the 2021 Copa America, following that up with the 2022 World Cup and another Copa America in 2024.

When Messi announced that the game against Venezuela would be his last home World Cup qualifier yet more accolades flooded in and, with a respectful nod to Cristiano Ronaldo, the great Pele and Messi’s countryman Diego Maradona, surely there is none better…and the little genius isn’t finished yet.     

 

Ecuador defence is a tough nut to crack 

The Tricolor’s World Cup 2026 results have been little short of remarkable with 26 points from 17 matches, and that tally includes a deduction of three points when Ecuador were found to have falsified the passport of right back Bryon Castillo, who is rumoured to have been born in Colombia, though this is disputed. Had they not been punished Ecuador would currently be sitting second and they could still end up there with a win against Argentina.

Ecuador’s success is built on an incredible defensive record having conceded just five goals in the 17 games, though they only scored 13 goals, with seven wins and eight draws. In fact, La Tricolor ground their way to qualification with four consecutive 0-0 draws. Maybe they aren’t a team to get the fans on their feet but they are devilishly hard to beat. At home they are virtually impenetrable and they rely on defensive solidity and rapid counter attacks. So while Argentina will need to be patient but inventive in their approach play, they will also need to be wary of the sucker punch.        

 

History

Recording seven wins and two draws from their last ten meetings with La Tricolor, Argentina have bossed the head to heads; but they needed penalties to secure a win in the 2024 Copa America quarter finals after the two teams had played out a 1-1 draw.

Argentina’s recent form shows five wins and a draw from the last six, while their hosts have two wins and four draws, scoring three goals and conceding just one over those six games.  

 

Betting Tip

Ecuador are at SBOTOP odds of 3.26 to win this match and Argentina are priced at 2.42 with the draw at 3.04; so we expect a tight game with all three results in play. I wouldn’t be surprised by another goalless stalemate but I’m backing Messi to provide a piece of magic.    

   

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