Argentina will be without their biggest star for the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil.
Lionel Messi showcased his brilliance with a stunning goal in Major League Soccer, signaling his readiness for the upcoming challenges against Uruguay and Brazil. However, during the match against Atlanta United, he picked up an injury, forcing him to withdraw from Argentina’s squad.
After a long wait, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni announced a 26-man squad for the qualifiers on Monday.
Messi played the full 90 minutes for Inter Miami in their Monday morning match (Bangladesh time), where he scored a brilliant equalizer to help his team secure a 2-1 comeback win.
Having already missed three matches for Inter Miami due to muscle discomfort, Messi was left out of Argentina’s squad to avoid further complications or a more serious injury. To ensure his recovery, the 37-year-old forward will remain in Miami instead of joining the national team.
Scaloni had initially included Messi in Argentina’s 33-man preliminary squad on March 2.
His absence is a huge blow for Argentina, who currently lead the South American World Cup qualifiers with 25 points from 12 matches. Uruguay sits second with 20 points, while Brazil is fifth with 18 points.
According to Argentine sports outlet TyC Sports, Messi suffered a groin injury while attempting a powerful shot against Atlanta. Although he continued playing, he refrained from taking free kicks, suggesting he was not fully fit.
Messi has remained in constant contact with Argentina’s coaching staff. Following his match for Miami, medical tests confirmed the muscle injury, ruling him out of the qualifiers.
Back in September, Messi also missed two World Cup qualifiers due to injury. Argentina won one of those matches 3-0 against Chile but lost 2-1 to Colombia. This time, he will once again have to watch his teammates battle from the sidelines.
Argentina will face Uruguay away on Saturday morning (Bangladesh time) before hosting Brazil three days later.
