Superstar Lionel Messi has not been named by coach Lionel Scaloni in Argentina’s squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
The 37-year-old forward has not played since suffering a right ankle injury in the Copa America final on July 14. Two days after the final, where Argentina defeated Colombia 1-0 to win the championship, Inter Miami announced that Messi had damaged ligaments and would be out indefinitely.
Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said at the time that further tests were needed to determine the severity of Messi’s injury. Speaking to the media, Martino said: “Leo is recovering as expected, but there is still no exact date when he will be able to rejoin the team. He continues to work on his own.
Leo’s absence affects us in many different ways. At times, his absence was aggravated by the absence of other key players. But even if he were absent, he would still be an important factor. Our goal is to build not only a competitive team but also a competitive team.
“When all the players are involved, we will be much more reliable and truly competitive. Our priority is to resolve the situation with Leo as quickly as possible and remain competitive in his absence.”
After the Copa America, Messi was a regular at Inter Miami matches to cheer on his teammates despite being injured. The reigning Ballon d’Or winner appeared in Miami’s match against Toronto FC in the MLS, as well as in Leagues Cup matches.
On September 6, Argentina will host Chile in the seventh match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in South America. Five days later, the world champions will play Colombia. Argentina currently leads the South American qualifiers with 15 points after 6 games.
