Lionel Messi, the star player of the Argentina national team, will be sidelined for the upcoming friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica due to a right hamstring injury. The Argentine Football Association confirmed this news on Monday, revealing that Messi sustained the injury during a recent match.
The 36-year-old forward was forced to leave the field early in the second half of a game against Nashville in the Concacaf Champions Cup. As a result, he was unable to participate in the subsequent league match against D.C. United.
Inter Miami CF coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino provided an update on Messi's condition, stating that the player's recovery progress will be monitored on a week-by-week basis. Despite initially being named in the squad for the friendlies, Messi's injury has ruled him out of the upcoming matches.
There is a possibility that Messi could join the national team later in the week to undergo part of his rehabilitation under the supervision of the team's medical staff before returning to Florida. Meanwhile, other members of the Argentina squad have already begun to assemble in Philadelphia ahead of the scheduled friendlies.
The absence of Messi, along with the prior injuries to players like Paulo Dybala and Exequiel Palacios, presents a challenge for Argentina as they prepare for the Copa America tournament taking place in the United States later this year. The friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica were intended to serve as crucial warm-up matches for the defending champions.
