Lionel Messi should make cap number 176 for Argentina when they host Ecuador in Buenos Aires during the opening round of South American 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Thursday night.

A blistering start to his career in the USA with Inter Miami saw Messi score 10 goals in seven Leagues Cup outings.

A goal on his MLS debut at New York Red Bulls soon followed, before Messi registered two assists in a 3-1 away win over LAFC at the weekend.

Messi is just one of a number of Argentine attackers who have started the season excellently though, with Angel Di Maria, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez all staking a claim to start.

Alvarez has started all of Manchester City's Premier League games this season, finding the net in their two home victories over Newcastle United and Fulham.

Martinez has made a remarkable start at Inter Milan with five goals in three Serie A fixtures so far, picking up where he left off last season when his 28 goals helped Inter to a top four finish, a Champions League final and a Coppa Italia crown.

Di Maria meanwhile, has left Italian football and moved back to Benfica where his European career began in 2007, and he comes into the international break having scored in back-to-back games, after also finding the net in the Super Cup win over Porto, and on the opening day at Boavista.

There probably will not be much change from the side which started the World Cup final, but manager Lionel Scaloni may opt to go with an additional attacking option given that they are favourites, so all four may start.

Scaloni can go with the tried and tested method that won the World Cup too, as all 11 starters from the final against France are in the squad this time around.

Paulo Dybala and Emi Buendia are the two notable injury absentees from this squad, with the latter out long term with an ACL injury.

Lisandro Martinez is in the squad though, despite being subbed early with what looked like an injury in Manchester United's 3-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.

In terms of personnel alterations, Scaloni has opted to leave out Sevilla duo Marcos Acuna and Lucas Ocampos, as well as Tottenham Hotspur outcast Giovani Lo Celso, whose fitness is currently in doubt.

Argentina possible starting lineup:
E Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Mac Allister, Alvarez; Messi, L Martinez, Di Maria body check tags ::