Argentina faces Chile in Santiago for the World Cup Qualifiers with Lionel Messi in the squad. Here’s what we know about his status for the match.
After a seven-month hiatus, Lionel Messi has been called up to Argentina‘s national team as La Albiceleste prepare to take on Chile and Colombia in the World Cup Qualifiers. While the captain is fit to play, Scaloni didn’t want to confirm whether he will play or not from start.
“We haven’t decided yet if he will start in the match or not. I need to talk to him to understand his physical condition,” Scaloni said about Messi’s status for the match in a press conference on Wednesday.
“Today, we are in a position to try different things. Initially, he is ready to play, and we’ll see after that. He is coming off a good match, and we’ll make a decision soon,” the Argentina‘s head coach explained.
It’s hard to predict whether Messi will be in the starting lineup or if he will play as a substitute. In this regard, Argentine journalist Leonardo Paradizo of ESPN reports that among Thiago Almada, Messi, and Nico Paz, one will be left out of the match against Chile. It appears that Almada might be the one to start, but there’s no official confirmation yet.
According to Paradizo, the Argentine coaching team doesn’t want to put Messi at risk of injury, as he is also expected to play with Inter Miami in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, which starts on June 14.
Messi’s numbers in 2025
The 37-year-old is coming off a productive stretch with Inter Miami, scoring two braces in his last two games. In total, Messi has scored 15 goals and provided 5 assists in 20 matches for his club this year. He hasn’t missed any minutes since April when he wasn’t called up for the match against Dallas. He recovered from a muscle strain in March.
Scaloni is forced to make some changes to the lineup
Argentina, who already clinched their World Cup ticket, will travel to Santiago with several absences due to injury and suspension. Among those missing are Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Nicolas Otamendi. Meanwhile, Lautaro Martinez won’t be available as he is taking some days off following the Champions League final.
As Scaloni expressed, he has called up young players for this international window, including 17-year-old sensation Franco Mastantuono from River Plate, who is in negotiations with PSG and Real Madrid. Defenders Kevin Lomonaco (Independiente) and Mariano Troilo (Belgrano) could also make their debuts with the national team.
From: bolavip.com