Lionel Messi will not be available for Argentina in their upcoming international friendly double-header due to injury.
In a statement posted on their official X page, Argentina confirmed that the forward would not be in the squad after sustaining a ‘minor’ injury to his hamstring.
Messi sustained the injury playing for Inter Miami during their CONCACAF Champions Cup clash against Nashville.
The 36-year-old scored in the 23rd minute of his side’s 3-1 victory over their MLS rivals on Thursday, but was replaced five minutes after the break and was not in the squad for their subsequent league meeting against DC United on Saturday.
The Argentina statement said: ‘The captain of Argentina, Lionel Messi, will not be able to be in the squad for the friendlies in USA due to a minor injury to the hamstring of his right leg, suffered in his team’s Inter Miami CF match against Nashville SC.’
Lionel Messi will not play in Argentina’s two friendlies in the United States this month
Argentina will face El Salvador on Friday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia before playing Costa Rica four days later at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Messi is the latest absence for Lionel Scaloni’s side following injuries to Roma forward Paulo Dybala, Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Exequiel Palacios and Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi.
Messi’s absence didn’t affect Inter Miami at the weekend, however, as Luis Suarez inspired them to a 3-1 comeback win over DC United.
The Uruguayan scored the go-ahead goal in the 72nd minute and added another in the 85th minute.
Both games are warmups for this summer’s Copa America, which will also be held in the USA
Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said after the game that Messi’s injury would be ‘dealt with week by week,’ and that the 36-year-old eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has a goal of playing in the upcoming CONCACAF quarterfinals.
Suarez did not start on Saturday but was subbed on in the 62nd minute.
It took him only 10 minutes to fire them ahead, scoring with a left-footed shot from close range to the bottom left corner.
He then struck again in the 85th minute when he left-footed a shot from the center of the box to the high center of the goal.
