Lionel Messi Excluded from Argentina Squad for World Cup Qualifiers

Lionel Messi will not participate in the Argentina national team for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 CONMEBOL qualifiers against Colombia. The 37-year-old star was absent from the 28-man squad announced by head coach Lionel Scaloni last month.

Messi has been sidelined since suffering a high-ankle injury on July 14 during the Copa America 2024 final, where Argentina secured a 1-0 victory against Colombia. His recovery process is currently underway at his Major League Soccer club, Inter Miami.

Inter Miami’s coach, Tata Martino, indicated that although Messi has returned to limited practice, he has yet to receive medical clearance to play. Martino confirmed that the expected timeline for Messi’s return to competitive action remains before the end of Inter Miami’s regular season, which concludes on October 19 against the New England Revolution.

As for the qualifying matches, Argentina leads the table with 18 points, having won six out of seven games played thus far. In contrast, Colombia sits in third place with 13 points, remaining unbeaten after seven matches, including three victories.

The structure of the qualifying tournament allows the top six teams direct qualification to the World Cup finals, which will take place across the USA, Mexico, and Canada. The seventh-placed team will enter an inter-confederation playoff for a chance at qualification.