‘If you see that 90% of Messi’s free kicks are on that side, you go more or less with the intention of getting there. If you are already stopped…’

The debate does not stop in public opinion. Lionel Messi’s free-kick goal against Ecuador provoked reactions and multiple analyzes on whether Hernán Galíndez and the barrier could do something more in front of the Argentina star’s collection in the match played last Thursday in Buenos Aires, for the first term of the qualification cycle for the 2026 World Cup.

So far, Eduardo Hurtado, Daniel Viteri and Carlos Tenorio, all with a past in the Tricolor, have spoken.

Messi faced the goal when he Lautaro Martínez received a contested foul outside the area by Moisés Caicedo. With just over 22 meters, with six players forming an obstacle in front of him, including José Hurtado is lying down In the block, the Inter Miami player aimed for the right corner of the goal and performed an outside string of great technical difficulty.

‘The barrier is well placed and the initial positioning of Hernán Galíndez is correct. Instead of a side step, he should have taken a cross step and taken off.’

Enner Valencia, Félix Torres, Robert Arboleda, William Pacho and Kevin Rodríguez, in that order from right to left, cover the far post while Galíndez stays in the middle. Argentina warns of their intentions by setting up a curtain with three of their own players to complicate the vision of the goal. Messi delivers, and Galíndez remains pinned to the grass.

The exchange of jerseys between Galíndez and Messi that causes reactions and numerous discussions: ‘What a huge booty the Ecuador goalkeeper took’

According to Demolition of Tenorio, a goalkeeper facing the albiceleste star in a free kick close to the goal would have to take two steps before he could reach the ball.

“You study a player, in this case Galíndez the collector, and if you see that 90% of Messi’s free kicks are on that side… at least if he puts it on the other side later, well, you applaud him.” . That’s more or less what happened to us with England (in the round of 16 of the 2006 World Cup)”Tenorio is rated in the program Presidential suite.

The Esmeralda native delved into David Beckham’s goal game against the Tricolors at the World Cup in Germany when goalkeeper Christian Mora was beaten by the then Manchester United figure. “Mora was always one of those goalkeepers that we had to insist 40 times to listen to us. “He was foolish.”

“I say that what happened with Messi was the same. Yes, I know Messi and we see free kicks in the Champions League and everywhere else, that is, we go more or less with the intention of getting there. If you’re already stopped… But I think you have to give him credit for being a cracker.”he pointed out.

At discretion Tank Hurtado, “Galíndez is not responsible for Messi’s goal (…) It is more Lionel’s virtue than our goalkeeper’s mistake. “They don’t want to invent”.

He bun Viteri stated that the barrier is well placed and that Galíndez’s initial positioning is correct as a shooter

“His (Galíndez) starting position is correct as a goalkeeper. Later, when the ball comes out, he sees when it passes the barrier, and I see that he should have made a lateral step instead of a lateral step and fly, but that tells you about excellence. The free kick is close, it’s covered by the opponent’s barrier, in my opinion he held the stick so that the Copa América thing didn’t happen to him, because he moved to the right earlier,” added the technical assistant of Guayaquil City.

According to reports issued from Quito, among the possible variants of Ecuador’s involvement this Tuesday against Uruguay could be the entry of goalkeeper Alexander Domínguez instead of Galíndez and forward Jhojan Julio instead of Gonzalo Plata. Both of them know the Rodrigo Paz stadium very well. (D)

South American qualifiers 2026