Argentina v Burkina Faso: Hosts rated favourites in Estadio Monumental friendly

Argentina face Burkina Faso in a friendly at the Estadio Monumental on Sunday, 4 October 2026 at 00:00 GMT, with both sides using the match to assess their squads and build towards future international commitments.

Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina will aim to maintain their positive momentum in front of their home supporters, while Amir Abdou’s Burkina Faso face a demanding test against a side renowned for its technical quality and control of the game. Mahamad Sangare, presenter of the sports debate programme La VAR on Burkina info TV, has provided his analysis and predictions.

Argentina reached the 2026 World Cup final before losing 1-0 to Spain on 19 July. They had beaten England 2-1 in the semi-final. In their first friendly since the tournament, they defeated Bolivia 4-0 on 30 September, with Lautaro Martinez, Nico Paz, Cristian Romero and Flaco Lopez among the scorers. Nico Paz also registered an assist.

The result underlined Argentina’s attacking strength despite the expected absence of Lionel Messi. The captain is scheduled to return for the match against Benin on 6 October, which is intended to mark his farewell to the national team.

Burkina Faso drew with Benin in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier before responding with a 1-0 victory away to Central African Republic. However, their June friendlies exposed defensive concerns, with a 3-0 defeat by Russia followed by a 2-2 draw against Belarus.

Rodrigo De Paul, Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi are being held back for the Benin match, meaning Burkina Faso are unlikely to face Argentina at full strength. Argentina’s possession, technical control and recent performances from Nico Paz, Lautaro Martinez and Cristian Romero will be key features to watch.

Dango Ouattara remains one of Burkina Faso’s main attacking threats, although he missed the first two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers because of health issues and must regain his rhythm if selected. Captain Bertrand Traore is not included in the squad, which contains several changes.

Aboubacar Camara scored the only goal in the win against Central African Republic on 28 September 2026 after coming on as a substitute. Edmond Tapsoba will be important in the defensive duels, his positioning and distribution, while goalkeeper Herve Koffi’s international experience and ability to make decisive saves could also prove vital.

The senior teams had never previously met. The fixture in Buenos Aires, listed in the source as taking place on 3 October 2026, is therefore a first meeting between the two sides. They did meet at the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago: the group match on 15 September ended 2-2, before Burkina Faso won the third-place play-off 2-0 on 30 September.

Argentina are priced at 1,213 to win, with both teams to score at 2,16 and over 2.5 total goals at 1,95. The most likely first event in the opening five minutes is no goal at 1,10.

The expert selections are Argentina to win at 1,213, under 3.5 goals at 1,54, a 3-0 correct score at 7, and Lautaro Martinez to score at any time at 1,49. The odds may change.