 "Lionel Messi: Why star forward has not been picked in Argentina's squad for matches against Uruguay and Brazil?")
Lionel Messi’s struggle with fitness continues as the Argentine superstar footballer Monday has been left out of the national squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil. Messi has not been picked in Argentina’s squad because of an injury he suffered in Inter Miami’s match against Atlanta United on Sunday, the reports said.
The two World Cup qualifiers are the latest in a number of matches Messi has missed this season. He has already missed three matches for Inter Miami at the start of March with a pulled muscle and only returned on Thursday as he scored after coming off the bench in a CONCACAF Champions Cup win.
Why Argentina did not pick Messi?
Messi started the match against Atlanta United in MLS, playing the full 90 minutes and scoring a goal , however, reports in Argentina state that he felt muscle discomfort after the game.
The Argentina national football team, however, may not miss Messi’s services much as they are already leading the 10-team South American qualifying group with 25 points from 12 matches while Uruguay are second (20 points).
The top six teams from the CONMEBOL qualifying group will directly advance to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The 2022 World Cup winner Argentina can seal qualification for the 2026 World Cup in their next two games against Uruguay and Brazil.
They face Uruguay at Montevideo on Friday before hosting Brazil in Buenos Aires on 25 March.
Messi, however, is the top scorer in the qualifying round so far with six goals.
Argentina will also miss injured Roma striker Paulo Dybala and River Plate full-back Paulo Montiel.
Brazil, who are fifth in the qualifying group table and seven points behind Argentina, will be without 33-year-old Neymar. The Brazilian attacker suffered a thigh injury recently.
Argentina squad:
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, ENG), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille, FRA), Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven, NED).
Defenders: Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid, ESP), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille, FRA), Cristian Romero (Tottenham, ENG), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica, POR), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon, FRA), Facundo Medina (Lens, FRA), Juan Foyth (Villarreal, ESP), German Pezzella (River Plate)
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Roma, ITA), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool, ENG), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid, ESP), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen, GER), Maximo Perrone (Como, ITA), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea, ENG), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid, ESP), Benjamin Dominguez (Bologne, ITA), Thiago Almada (Lyon, FRA)
Forwards: Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, ITA), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid, ESP), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid, ESP), Nicolas Paz (Como, ITA), Santiago Castro (Bologna, ITA), Nicolas Gonzalez (Juventus, ITA).
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