Messi called up for Argentina qualifiers despite injury
Argentina has summoned up Lionel Messi for the next South American World Cup qualifiers despite the fact that he is injured at his club Inter Miami.
Messi was absent from Inter's 4-1 loss to Chicago on Wednesday due to a physical issue — he has played just 37 minutes for the team since September 3.
Argentina host Paraguay on October 12 and then travel to play Peru five days later in CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
The 36-year-old has missed Inter's last three games and five of their previous six, but little information about his physical condition has been released.
Argentine coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino of Miami initially stated that Messi was suffering from "muscle fatigue," but later stated that he was disturbed by "scars" from an earlier injury.
Messi, the captain of Argentina's World Cup-winning squad in Qatar last year, played and scored in his country's 1-0 triumph over Ecuador on September 7 in Buenos Aires.
He asked to be substituted in the final minutes of the game and subsequently missed the game against Bolivia in La Paz five days later, watching his teammates from the sidelines.
Miami has lost their last three games without Messi, putting their MLS playoff hopes in jeopardy.
The game in Chicago on Wednesday was shifted to Soldier Field, the home of the NFL's Chicago Bears, and drew 62,124 people, with many buying tickets in the hopes of witnessing the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.
After the game, Martino was asked about Messi's condition ahead of Saturday's game against Cincinnati, and he said he was improving.
“I think he’s getting closer to playing again. We said, we’ll evaluate him… to see if he’s in condition (to play),” he said.
“The most important thing is he’s leaving his injury behind and slowly discovering his best form… we’ll see what’s best ahead of the next game,” he added.
Messi’s Miami team-mate, 21-year-old winger Facundo Farias, has been called up to the national team squad for the first time.
Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho has also been included in Lionel Scaloni’s squad for the upcoming qualifiers.
