Lionel Messi has been left out of Argentina’s squad by head coach Lionel Scaloni for this month’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil, Afrosport reports.
Messi reportedly suffered a muscle strain in Inter Miami’s 2-1 win at Atlanta United in the Major League Soccer (MLS) on Sunday. He scored the equaliser for the Herons at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, having missed three of their previous four games.
Messi, who will reportedly remain in the United States for rehabilitation, will miss Argentina’s visit to the Centenario Stadium to take on Uruguay on Friday, as well as their home game against rivals Brazil on Tuesday, 25 March, in Buenos Aires.
📋 This is the final squad list called up by Lionel Scaloni for the upcoming matches against Uruguay and Brazil in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers! 📝 pic.twitter.com/j34xzALRDY
— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) March 17, 2025
Argentina sits atop the CONMEBOL qualifying standings with 25 points after 12 games, five ahead of second-placed Uruguay and seven ahead of Brazil in fifth.
The top six teams will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals in North America, while the seventh-placed team will settle for a play-off.
Messi, who leads the qualifying rounds with six goals, is not the only absentee from Argentina’s squad, as Scaloni will be without Roma forward Paulo Dybala and River Plate full-back Gonzalo Montiel.
Brazil, meanwhile, will be without forward Messi’s former teammate, Neymar, who has been ruled out of this month’s qualifiers after sustaining a muscle injury.
