Lionel Messi will not play this week because he was dropped from Argentina’s squad. He is unavailable for the World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil due to a muscle injury he sustained during a club game on Sunday.
Fans are disappointed by Messi’s absence from the World Cup qualifiers. He has faced a challenging March, missing three games with Inter Miami earlier in the month due to a pulled muscle. However, he made a comeback by scoring after coming off the bench in a CONCACAF match.
Messi and Neymar will not be joining their national teams for their World Cup qualifiers this upcoming week.
We may have already seen these two legends play against eachother for the final time 🥺 pic.twitter.com/DoRlOSQb2I
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 17, 2025On Sunday, Messi played a full 90 minutes and scored in Atlanta. Despite this, Argentinian media reports that he experienced some discomfort afterwards.
Read: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Viral Reaction to Messi Comparison
The defending champions can secure their spot in the 2026 World Cup. They currently lead South America’s 10-team group by five points. Uruguay will play on Friday in Montevideo, while Brazil is set to visit Buenos Aires on March 25. The top six teams will qualify directly for the tournament. After 12 rounds of play, Messi remains the leading scorer with six goals.
''I'm sad to miss these important games against Uruguay and Brazil. I really wanted to play''
Argentina captain Lionel Messi on missing the World Cup qualifiers with a leg injury 🤕 pic.twitter.com/VMMycqGG5e
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) March 18, 2025Argentina isn’t the only team dealing with missing stars. Paulo Dybala and Paulo Montiel are also out, while Brazil’s Neymar, 33, is sidelined with a thigh injury. Despite these losses, Argentina’s squad still boasts plenty of talent. Goalkeepers like Emiliano Martinez and forwards like Lautaro Martinez are prepared to step up. They are ready to fight.
