Lionel Messi, the star forward, has been excluded from the latest Argentina national team roster for the upcoming CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia. This decision comes as Messi continues to recover from an ankle injury sustained during the Copa América final in July.
The injury occurred in the first half of the final match, and despite attempting to play through the pain, Messi was eventually substituted in the 66th minute. Following the match, it was revealed that Messi had suffered ligament damage in his right ankle, leading to an indefinite period of recovery.
Since the final, Messi has not participated in any on-field activities and has been focusing on gym work separately to aid his recovery process.
Argentina, currently leading the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers with 15 points from six games, will have to rely on other players in Messi's absence. The team is set to face Chile on September 5 in Buenos Aires and then travel to Bogotá to take on Colombia on September 10.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni will have to navigate these crucial matches without the services of Messi and Ángel Di María, who announced his retirement before the Copa América. The attacking options in the latest squad include Julián Álvarez, Nicolas Gonzalez, and Lautaro Martínez.
Argentina National Team Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Emiliano Martínez, Gerónimo Rulli, Walter Benítez, Juan Musso
Defenders:
Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Nicolás Otamendi, Germán Pezzella, Leonardo Balerdi, Nicolás Tagliafico, Valentín Barco
Midfielders:
Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernández, Giovani Lo Celso, Guido Rodríguez, Ezequiel Fernández
Forwards:
Nicolás González, Lautaro Martínez, Alejandro Garnacho, Julián Álvarez, Matìas Soulè, Valentin Carboni, Giuliano Simeone, Valentín Castellanos
