Photo by Todd Kirkland / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
Lionel Messi was not included in Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni's squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil, with the forward missing out due to a muscle strain.
Messi scored a stunning goal in Inter Miami's 2-1 win at Atlanta United in Major League Soccer (MLS) on Sunday but felt a muscle discomfort, local media reported.
As a consequence, the 37-year-old was left out of the Argentina squad on Monday, and will remain in the United States to recover.
Argentina, who lead the CONMEBOL qualifying standings with 25 points after 12 games, travel to second-placed Uruguay on Friday.
They then host a Brazil side, on March 25, without forward Neymar, who was set to make his return to the national team after more than a year but has been ruled out after sustaining a muscle injury.
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His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, has announced the ‘World Sports Summit’ will take place in Dubai from December 29-30.
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Chelsea scored three times in the second period of extra-time to hand 10-man Benfica a 4-1 defeat in Charlotte in their weather-affected last 16 Club World Cup clash on Saturday as the English side set up a quarter-final meeting with Brazil's Palmeiras.
Substitute Paulinho scored his second goal of the FIFA Club World Cup 10 minutes into extra time to lift Brazil's Palmeiras to a 1-0 victory over domestic rivals Botafogo in Saturday's second-round clash at Philadelphia.