“I understand that Indonesian fans are sad" - Lionel Scaloni explains why Lionel Messi will miss Argentina's friendly against Indonesia
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has announced that Lionel Messi will not feature in the upcoming friendly against Indonesia. The 35-year-old has been rested for the match along with fellow veterans Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi.
Argentina will take on Indonesia at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in a friendly game on Monday. However, the home fans are set to be disappointed as Messi, Otamendi, and Di Maria are not a part of the visiting team's squad.
Scaloni has announced that all three players have been given a rest and will not be in the squad tomorrow. The Argentine boss added that Messi is currently on vacation after having completed a long season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He said:
"I understand that Indonesian fans are sad, but Messi is resting, I had already decided before that he, Di María and Otamendi should rest after a very long season. Argentina is well above any player. In this case, Leo is not there, but the others are. We hope they, the fans are going to enjoy it."
Lionel Messi will join his new side Inter Miami after his vacation and is expected to make his MLS debut in August.
Lionel Scaloni understadnunderstands Lionel Messi's 2026 World Cup decision
Lionel Scaloni has admitted that Lionel Messi might not be a part of the Argentina squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026. He believes that Messi is logical in his thinking and should not commit to a tournament three years away.
Speaking to the media, Messi confirmed last week that he was not going to hang his boots soon, but was not planning to play until the 2026 World Cup. Scaloni commented on the same and said (via GOAL):
"His statements seem to me to be very prudent and he is not lying. The reality is that he's going to see what happens. We're going to follow his progress and I think it's the logical thing to do. The World Cup is so far away and he is very cautious."
He added:
"The important thing is that he feels good and that he wants to play. With the passage of time we will see how he is and if he feels up to it, which is the important thing because he will know how to play football today and in ten years' time."
Lionel Messi is currently among the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or this year. However, the Argentine is not thinking about adding to his personal accolades. He claimed in a recent interview with SPORT that the award was no longer important to him after getting his hands on the FIFA World Cup last year.