'Messi's Winning Goal' Argentina Wins 2026 FIFA World Cup

'Messi's Winning Goal' Argentina Wins the First Leg of the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American Qualifiers

Argentina wins 1-0 over Ecuador, Messi scores free kick, 2026 North and Central America World Cup continental qualifiers begin in earnest, starting with South America

Lionel Messi, the ‘god of soccer’, led his country Argentina to victory in the first leg of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup with a thrilling free kick winning goal.

'Defending champion' Argentina defeated Ecuador 1-0 in the first round of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup held at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina on the 8th (Korean time).

Argentina dominated the game with a high ball possession rate of 71%, but was frustrated as they were unable to score.

Argentina fired 13 shots that day, but most of the balls missed the goal. 카지노사이트

The solution was, of course, Messi.

Messi, who started as a right-wing striker, hit the net with a fantastic left-footed free kick in the 33rd minute of the second half.

Messi kicked the free kick taken by Lautaro Martinez near the penalty arc with his left foot, and the ball, which slightly passed the defensive wall, took a trajectory so sharp that the goalkeeper could not react, fell from the front of the goal and hit the corner of the goal.

Messi played for 89 minutes until he left the field after being replaced by Exekiel Palacios in the 44th minute of the second half.

Argentina, who kept Messi's goal until the end, took the first step towards winning the World Cup for the second time in a row.

This North and Central America World Cup is effectively a ‘last dance’ journey for Lionel Messi.

Messi, born in 1987, will turn 39 in 2026 when the North and Central America World Cup finals are held.

Messi expressed his intention to continue playing for the Argentina national team after winning the Qatar World Cup in December last year, and coach Lionel Scaloni responded, "If Messi wants to play, he should prepare a uniform with the number 10 on it for the next World Cup as well."

In another preliminary round, Colombia defeated Venezuela 1-0 thanks to Santos Borre's goal shortly after the start of the second half, and Paraguay drew 0-0 with Peru.

On the 9th, matches between Uruguay and Chile and Brazil and Bolivia will be held.

Starting with the three South American preliminary matches held on this day, the needle of the ‘World Cup clock’ began to move again.

The 2026 North and Central America World Cup, jointly hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico, is the first tournament in which the number of participating countries will increase from 32 to 48.

In the South American qualifiers, which started first, 10 countries (Uruguay, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, and Ecuador) will play in the full league.

The first qualifying round for the Asia region begins in October.

Korea will participate from the second preliminary round scheduled for November.

The African qualifiers will be held starting in November, the first round of the North and Central American qualifiers is scheduled for March next year, and Oceania, which was allocated one ticket to the finals for the first time, will hold the first round in September next year.

Europe will decide which countries will advance to the World Cup starting in March 2025.