Lionel Messi Argentina World Cup qualifiers: Messi Returns to Argentina Best Squad for World Cup Qualifiers 25

Lionel Messi Argentina World Cup qualifiers: Argentina captain Lionel Messi has rejoined the national team for training ahead of their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia. The 37-year-old last played for Argentina in November 2024 but missed the March fixtures due to a muscle injury.

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Lionel Messi Argentina World Cup qualifiers

Despite his absence, Argentina, the reigning World Cup champions, have already secured their spot in the next tournament. Now, Messi is back in top form, fresh from an outstanding run with Inter Miami CF in MLS.

Messi’s Stellar Club Form Continues

Just before linking up with Argentina, Messi was named MLS Player of the Week for the second consecutive time. His performance in Inter Miami’s 5-1 win over Columbus Crew was exceptional—he contributed to all five goals, proving he’s still at the peak of his game.

Argentina’s Upcoming Matches

Argentina, currently top of the CONMEBOL standings with 31 points, will face:

Chile (Away) – Thursday
Colombia (Home) – Buenos Aires (Estadio Monumental)

With qualification already secured, coach Lionel Scaloni might rotate the squad, but Messi’s presence ensures Argentina remains a formidable force.

New Faces in the Squad

Alongside Messi’s return, three new players have earned their first-ever call-ups:

Kevin Lomónaco (Defender, Independiente)
Mariano Troilo (Defender, Belgrano)
Franco Mastantuono (17-year-old Forward, River Plate)

Mastantuono, in particular, has already attracted interest from top European clubs, making his debut a highly anticipated moment.

Injury and Suspension Challenges

Scaloni has some tough decisions to make due to missing key players:

Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica) – Suspended
Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool) – Injured
Enzo Fernández (Chelsea) & Leandro Paredes (AS Roma) – Suspended (yellow card accumulation)

Potential defensive replacements include Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille) and Facundo Medina (Lens).

Meanwhile, Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan) will join the squad late after his club’s Champions League final defeat to PSG and is unlikely to feature against Chile.

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Khurshid Anwar

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