Nico Paz shines as Argentina begin post-Messi era with 4-0 win over Bolivia

Argentina began life after Lionel Messi with a convincing 4-0 friendly victory over Bolivia in Cordoba on Thursday morning.

La Albiceleste scored twice in each half, with Lautaro Martinez opening the scoring in the 19th minute before Nico Paz doubled their advantage 10 minutes later.

Cristian Romero added a third shortly after half-time, scoring in the 53rd minute, while Jose Manuel Lopez completed the victory with Argentina’s fourth goal in the 86th minute.

The match was Argentina’s first since their defeat by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final in July. It also marked the opening game of a new international era following Messi’s decision to retire from international football last month.

Messi, who is 39, will nevertheless wear the Argentina shirt once more in a farewell match against Benin.

Argentina have two more friendlies scheduled. They will face Burkina Faso on 3 October before meeting Benin next Tuesday.

Paz makes strong case for leading role

The biggest individual performance in Cordoba came from Paz, who was selected in the starting XI by manager Lionel Scaloni for Argentina’s first match since the World Cup final.

The Como player justified that decision with an outstanding display. He scored an excellent goal and also provided an assist from a set-piece situation, making a decisive contribution to a dominant win.

Argentina applied sustained pressure from the outset and gave Bolivia little opportunity to settle into the game. Their intensity without the ball was matched by their efficiency in front of goal, allowing them to establish a commanding lead before the interval.

Paz was particularly influential in the final third, where he repeatedly helped Argentina move forward and gave their attacks greater purpose. His performance strengthened the case for him to play an important role in the national team’s next phase following Messi’s retirement.

Argentina continued to control the match after the break, with Romero extending their lead before Lopez added the final goal late on.

However, the hosts appeared less dangerous and less consistent after Paz was substituted in the second half. His influence had been central to the quality and regularity of Argentina’s attacking play during his time on the pitch.