OFFICIAL: Lionel Messi named in Argentina squad for September's World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Bolivia
Former Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has been named in the provisional 32-man list for Argentina's upcoming World Cup qualifier matches. La Albiceleste will face Ecuador on September 7 and Bolivia on September 12 during the upcoming international break.
The roster sees the return of practically the entirety of the 26-man squad that traveled to Qatar for the World Cup in 2022 and were eventually crowned champions.
The two fixtures will mark the first and second rounds of games for qualification to the 2026 World Cup, which is set to be held in the US, Canada, and Mexico jointly.
Consequently, Messi is sure to miss Inter Miami's clash in Major League Soccer against Sporting Kansas City that will be held on September 9. It remains to be seen whether he will feature in the game against Atlanta United, which is on September 16.
Earlier, Inter Miami head coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino spoke about the concerns of playing without the Argentine superstar. He emphasized the need for the team to step up in the absence of their talismanic forward.
He said:
“We put a lot of value in this win because this [playing with a rotation] is something we need to get used to because Leo is going to join his national team. He’ll miss at least three games this year and next year it will be the same, and we need to understand that when he’s not here the team still needs to provide results.”
Inter Miami head coach laments lack of time as Lionel Messi's side play out goalless draw
Gerardo Martino expressed concern over the number of matches his side have had to play as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Nashville SC. Speaking after the game, the Mexican stated that the team has been unable to practice properly since his arrival.
He said:
"I've been with the team for two months, but it's really been only 50-52 days of actually working with the team," he told reporters.
"We still haven't had a full week working with them. Playing every four days hasn't allowed us enough time to train and really build this group."
Nashville, who were without two of their best players in Walker Zimmerman and Sam Surridge, opted to play deep within their own half; something football enthusiasts often call "parking the bus." Taking a jibe at that, Martino said:
"When you put that many players in the opponent's box, of course, you'll keep a clean sheet."
They became the first side since Messi's arrival to the US to keep a clean sheet against Inter Miami. The Argentine superstar was unable to conjure up his usual magic on the night as his opponents frustrated them.