ESPN News Service2 minute read
Lionel Messi was selected for Argentina’s next two World Cup qualifying matches on Thursday, despite being off the field for two weeks with his club team Inter Miami CF due to a leg injury.
Messi, 36, has missed five of Miami’s past six games, including Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to Chicago Fire FC, which put their chances of making the MLS Cup playoffs in serious jeopardy. This includes being exposed to. The Argentina captain also missed his national team’s 3-0 win against Bolivia on September 12.
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Messi’s most recent appearance was against Toronto on September 20, when he was substituted at halftime due to a recurrence of the foot injury, which then recurred in the 1-0 win against Ecuador on September 7.
Argentina, along with Brazil, lead the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying standings with two wins from two matches. They will play against Paraguay in Buenos Aires on October 12th and will visit Peru five days later.
Messi has scored 11 goals in 12 games for Inter Miami. He is 8-0-4 when he plays. Seven of those games came as the team was en route to its first trophy by winning the Leagues Cup, and another was in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. Inter Miami have won one, lost three and drawn two in the six games played without Messi since he joined the club.
After the loss to Chicago, Miami coach Gerardo Martino said of Messi, “Barcelona missed him, and the Argentina team missed him.” “Of course we will lose the best player in the world.”
Argentina full squad:
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Franco Armani (River Plate), Juan Musso (Atalanta)
Defenders: Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest), Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid), Germán Pezzella (Real Betis), Cristian Romero. (Tottenham), Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Marco Pellegrino (AC Milan), Marcos Acuña (Sporting Lisbon), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Lucas Esquivel ( Athletico Paranaense)
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Roma), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis), Enzo Fernandes (Chelsea), Rodrygo de Paul (Atlético Madrid), Equéquel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Carlos Alcaraz ( Southampton), Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham), Alexismac Allister (Liverpool), Thiago Almada (Atlanta United), Bruno Zappelli (Athletico Paranaense)
Forwards: Paulo Dybala (Roma), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Julián Álvarez (Manchester City), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Facundo Farias (Inter Miami), Lucas Beltrán (Fiore) Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Nico González (Fiorentina), Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla)
