Lionel Messi, one of the world’s greatest football players, will not be part of Argentina’s national team for their upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia.
Messi, who plays for Inter Miami, is sidelined due to an ankle injury. This injury has kept him from playing since Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa America final.
In Messi’s absence, coach Lionel Scaloni has recalled Paulo Dybala to the national squad. Dybala, a forward for Roma, has not played for Argentina since March 2023. With 38 international caps under his belt, he now has a chance to return to the field and help the team in their crucial World Cup qualifying matches.
The reigning world champions will also miss the presence of veteran winger Angel Di Maria, who recently retired from international football. This marks a significant change in Argentina’s squad as they head into these important matches.
Currently, Argentina sits at the top of the South American qualifiers table. The top six teams in the 10-nation group will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Argentina is set to play Chile on September 6 at home, followed by an away match against Colombia on September 10 in Barranquilla. Despite the absence of key players like Messi and Di Maria, the team remains hopeful of securing positive results.
Here is the full squad list for Argentina’s upcoming qualifiers:
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Juan Musso (Atalanta), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille), Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven)
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), German Pezzella (River Plate), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Valentin Barco (Sevilla)
Midfielders: Guido Rodriguez (West Ham), Leandro Paredes (Roma), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Ezequiel Fernandez (Al Qadsiah), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham)
Forwards: Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Valentin Carboni (Monza), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Valentin Castellanos (Lazio), Matias Soule (Roma), Paulo Dybala (Roma)
