Messi’s Absence from Argentina’s World Cup Qualifiers: A Blow for Fans and Team
In a surprising turn of events, Lionel Messi will not be joining the Argentina national team for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Uruguay. This news broke on Monday after it was revealed that Messi had suffered an injury, which kept him from making the final roster. The injury news surfaced within the last 24 hours, leaving fans and the team in a state of disappointment.
Messi’s club team, Inter Miami, confirmed that the legendary player underwent an MRI on Monday. This was after he experienced discomfort in his adductor during Sunday’s 2-1 win over Atlanta United FC. The club released a statement saying, “Messi underwent an MRI this morning to assess the extent of the discomfort in his adductor region, which he experienced during last night’s match against Atlanta United. The examination’s findings confirmed the presence of a low-grade injury in the adductor muscle. His clinical progress and response to treatment will determine his availability for competition.”
Messi himself took to Instagram to express his regret over missing these crucial matches. He stated, “It’s a shame to miss these special games with the Argentinian national team against Brazil and Uruguay. Like always, I wanted to be there but at the last minute an injury that isn’t that important forced me to stop for a while before returning to play kept me out. But I will be supporting and cheering from here like a fan. Let’s go Argentina!”
The 37-year-old superstar was initially named to the 33-player roster for Argentina on March 2, despite ongoing concerns about his physical condition. Prior to this, Messi had missed three matches for Inter Miami due to load management. He made a return on Thursday, coming off the bench in a Concacaf Champions Cup win over Cavalier FC.
Inter Miami’s head coach, Javier Mascherano, had previously announced that Messi would be rested due to load management, especially after a hectic start to the 2025 MLS campaign, which saw the team play three matches in just seven days. Mascherano emphasized that Messi had not sustained an injury at that time, but was being held out as a precautionary measure ahead of a long season that includes participation in this summer’s inaugural Club World Cup.
Messi was expected to be part of the latest Argentina squad after playing a full 90 minutes and scoring a goal against Atlanta United on Sunday. However, the injury ultimately led to his exclusion from Lionel Scaloni’s side for the World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay on March 21 and Brazil on March 25.
Mascherano explained, “We tried to take away from the overload Messi had, so that it wouldn’t go further than that. We tried to handle it in the best way. Luckily, we were able to control it and that it didn’t turn into an injury or much more. Today he’s better and we decided to start giving him minutes. There’s no secret in this.”
The coach also revealed that Inter Miami’s medical team was in constant communication with the Argentina national team’s medical staff to stay updated on Messi’s condition and plan accordingly. Mascherano had been optimistic about Messi’s ability to join La Albiceleste, saying, “Obviously the Argentinian national team doctors are in contact with the doctors here and they are the ones who specifically talk about that. I haven’t spoken with the coaching staff, but if they have any consultation, I will talk to them. I don’t think it will be necessary because the doctors are in contact all time.”
Looking ahead, the hope is that Messi will be back on the pitch with Inter Miami on March 29 for an MLS regular season game against the Philadelphia Union. Meanwhile, La Albiceleste currently lead the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers with 25 points in 12 games, and fans will be eagerly watching to see how the team performs without their talismanic captain.
- Messi’s absence is a significant blow to Argentina’s World Cup qualifying campaign.
- Inter Miami and Argentina’s medical teams are working closely to manage Messi’s recovery.
- Fans are hopeful for Messi’s quick return to action with Inter Miami.
Originally Written by: Lizzy Becherano
