Lionel Messi is back in an Argentina shirt, a welcome sight for fans and manager Lionel Scaloni as the superstar returns from injury for a busy summer of national team matches.
Argentina kicks off its summer schedule with an international friendly match on Sunday, June 9 against Ecuador at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. If Messi plays, it will be his first game for Argentina since helping lead the Albiceleste to a 1-0 win over Brazil at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. It was Brazil's first-ever loss at home in World Cup qualifying.
Messi then missed Argentina's two March 2024 friendly matches in the U.S. (hastily rescheduled after the original friendly matches in Hong Kong and China were cancelled) due to a hamstring injury.
Now, Messi is back but will likely be managed by the coaching staff in these two pre-Copa America friendly matches to ensure he can go the full 90 minutes once the tournament begins.
Ecuador has been in solid form since last summer, and it started World Cup qualifying in excellent fashion, with three wins, two draws, and one loss. That loss came against Argentina last September, but Ecuador - featuring Chelsea's Moises Caicedo and 17-year-old prospect Kendry Paes - have only lost once match since then – a 2-0 defeat in New Jersey to Italy.
The Sporting News is following the Argentina vs. Ecuador match live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.
Argentina vs. Ecuador live score
| 1st Half Score | Goal scorers | |
| Argentina | – | – |
| Ecuador | – | – |
Starting lineups:
Argentina (4-3-3, right to left):Martínez (GK) — Molina, Romero, Lisandro, Acun̈a— De Paul, Paredes, Lo Celso— Álvarez, Lautaro and Di María.
Ecuador (4-3-3, right to left): Galindez (GK) — Preciado, Torres, Pacho, Hincapie — Caicedo, Paez, Ortiz — Franco, Sarmiento, Minda.
Argentina vs. Ecuador live updates, highlights, commentary
Argentina vs. Ecuador: Pre-match commentary, analysis, stats, and more
1 hour to kickoff:And here's Ecuador.
— La Tri 🇪🇨 (@LaTri) June 9, 2024Nuestro 11 de hoy para el partido contra Argentina.
¡Vamos Ecuador! @PilsenerEcuador pic.twitter.com/VpsZNxNKfR
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1 hour to kickoff:We have lineups! Argentina's first.
— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) June 9, 2024Vestuario listo ✅
Camisetas listas ✅
Sentimientos listos ✅#OtraVezJuntos 🩵🤍🩵 pic.twitter.com/vdbUFaJl1d
1 hour, 15 mins to kickoff:Meanwhile, Argentina's opening match at Copa America will be against Canada. Les Rouges had a good day today, holding France in Bordeaux to a scoreless draw. It's the best result from a CONCACAF side against South American or European competition this month.
— CANMNT (@CANMNT_Official) June 9, 2024Our June Friendly window ends in a hard-fought draw with France.
Up next ⏭️ Copa América!#CANMNT pic.twitter.com/HRQf4oOBJ6
1 hour, 30 mins to kickoff:In addition to wondering whether Messi will start, there are questions about who will start at centerback. Scaloni has three experienced players to pick from - Nicolas Otamendi (still playing at 36), Lisandro Martinez, and Cristian Romero. The latter two are expected to start, but Argentina keeps calling in Otamendi and he's still playing at a high level for Benfica.
1 hour, 45 mins to kickoff:Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni admitted his squad wasn't at 100% fitness yet during his pre-match press conference, as some players enter with injuries from a long season in Europe or with tired legs.
Speaking about Messi, Scaloni said it would be a coaching decision whether Messi will go 90 minutes, 30 minutes, or 60 minutes. It's led to fans and media trying to guess what Argentina's lineup will look like if Messi starts or whether he's on the bench.
2 hours to kickoff:Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of Argentina vs. Ecuador. Soldier Field is looking immaculate on a beautiful day for futbol.
— Seth Engle (@bigsengtweets) June 9, 2024At Soldier Field today covering a different type of football for @AP_Sports: Argentina and Ecuador’s Copa America warmup.
Lionel Messi will play, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni told reporters on Saturday.
Grateful to be here. Should be fun. pic.twitter.com/eMVroWN91B
Argentina vs. Ecuadorlineups, team news
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni will use these friendly games as a chance to impress for some of his fringe players and Valentin Barco,Exequiel Palacios and Alejandro Garnacho could start.
Argentina predicted XI (4-3-3, right to left):Martinez (GK) — Molina, Romero, Martinez, Barco — Mac Allister, De Paul, Palacios — Messi, Alvarez, Garnacho.
Argentina subs (9): TBC
Brighton & Hove Albion defender Pervis Estupinan is a notable absentee from the Ecuador squad for the Copa America this summer as he recovers from ankle surgery.
However, other European-based stars including Moises Caicedo and Piero Hincapie, have been included.
Ecuador predicted XI (4-3-3 right to left): Dominguez(GK) — Torres, Pacho, Hincapie — Preciado, Caicedo, Franco, Paez — Minda, Valencia, Rodriguez.
Ecuador subs (9): TBC
What time does Argentina vs. Ecuadorkick off?
This international friendly match takes place at Soldier Field in Chicago, USA and kicks off on Sunday, June 9 at 6:00 p.m. local time.
Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA | Sun, Jun. 9 | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| Canada | Sun, Jun. 9 | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| UK | Mon, Jun. 10 | 12:00 a.m. BST |
| Australia | Mon, Jun. 10 | 9:00 a.m. AEST |
| India | Mon, Jun. 10 | 4:30 a.m. IST |
Argentina vs. Ecuador live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this international friendly match across selected areas of the world's major regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | Fox Deportes | Fubo, Fox Sports app/website |
| Canada | — | — |
| UK | — | — |
| Australia | — | — |
| India | — | — |
USA:This game is available to stream via Fubo, which is offering a FREE trial to new users.
Spanish language options can be found via Fox Deportes.
If Argentina vs. Ecuador is not available to watch live in your location or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs offer a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favorite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.
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