Lionel Messi Set to Miss the Upcoming World Cup Qualifiers

Claudio Echeverri, Paulo Dybala, Alejandro Garnacho, Lionel Messi

March 18, 2025

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Lionel Messi Set to Miss the Upcoming World Cup Qualifiers

Argentina’s football maestro Lionel Messi will not feature in the two upcoming South American World Cup qualifying matches against Uruguay and Brazil due to a reported muscle injury.

The 37-year-old Messi was not included in the 25-man squad announced on Monday by head coach Lionel Scaloni.

Argentine media reported that Messi suffered a sore left thigh on Sunday, March 16, during Inter Miami’s 2-1 victory over Atlanta United in the ongoing MLS.

However, the Football Association did not disclose the reasons for his absence.

Argentina, which leads the standings with 25 points, will visit second-place Uruguay on Friday and host fifth-place Brazil four days later at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.

Claudio Echeverri, Paulo Dybala, Alejandro Garnacho, Lionel Messi

Messi is not the only absentee for two matches that could seal Argentina’s qualification. Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Montiel and Giovani Lo Celso are the other notable players who have been ruled out, too.

Coach Scaloni also dropped Alejandro Garnacho and Claudio Echeverri from the larger squad, that he announced on March 2.

World Cup winner Messi has been left out several times by Miami since the start of the season due to the risk of a potential injury, his coach Javier Mascherano had quoted.

Messi was not on Argentina’s roster Monday for matches against Uruguay on Friday and Brazil on March 25. Inter Miami said Messi had an MRI scan which revealed he had a ‘low-grade injury in the adductor muscle.’

It’s unclear how much time Messi will require to return into full swing action. He recently returned from a three-game layoff due to apparent fatigue.

This month, Messi did not play against the Houston Dynamo, Cavalier SC and Charlotte FC. He returned in the second leg of Miami’s round-of-16 CONCACAF Champions Cup tie against Cavalier SC on March 13.

Claudio Echeverri, Paulo Dybala, Alejandro Garnacho, Lionel Messi

“It’s a shame to miss these two special matches with the national team against Uruguay and Brazil,” Messi posted via his Instagram account on Monday, March 17, afternoon. “As always, I wanted to be there, but at the last minute, I suffered an injury. It wasn’t serious…”

Lionel Messi predominately played in three matches during a six-day stretch from February 19-25, and eight matches in a 40-day span from January 18 to February 14, which included five pre-season matches to commence the year.

Inter Miami’s forthcoming match will be played at their home ground against the Philadelphia Union on March 29. As ardent football fans, we wish Messi a speedy recovery and hope he bounces back sooner in the matches lined ahead.

By: Tulika Agarwal