
World Cup qualifiers: Messi out for Argentina’s matches against Uruguay and Brazil due to adductor injury
The Hindu
Lionel Messi to miss Argentina's World Cup qualifiers due to adductor injury, uncertain for future games.
Lionel Messi will miss Argentina's World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil over the next eight days because of an injury to his adductor.
The 37-year-old Messi was not included in the 25-man squad announced on Monday (March 17, 2025) by coach Lionel Scaloni. Later Monday, Inter Miami said Messi — the reigning Major League Soccer MVP — underwent an MRI “to assess the extent of the discomfort in his adductor region,” an injury that the team said occurred in Sunday's win over Atlanta United.
“The examination's findings confirmed the presence of a low-grade injury in the adductor muscle,” Inter Miami said. “His clinical progress and response to treatment will determine his availability for competition.”
Argentine media initially reported Messi suffered a sore left thigh on Sunday during Inter Miami's 2-1 victory.
Argentina, which leads South America, will visit second-placed Uruguay on Friday and host fifth-placed Brazil four days later at Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
Messi was not the only absentee for the two matches that could seal Argentina's qualification. Also ruled out were Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Montiel and Giovani Lo Celso.
Scaloni also dropped Alejandro Garnacho and Claudio Echeverri from the larger squad announced on March 2.

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