FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - South American Qualifiers - Argentina v Peru - Estadio Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina - November 19, 2024 Argentina's Lionel Messi looks on REUTERS/Rodrigo Valle/File Photo
(Reuters) - Lionel Messi was not included in Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni's squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil, with the forward missing out due to a muscle strain.
Messi scored a stunning goal in Inter Miami's 2-1 win at Atlanta United in Major League Soccer (MLS) on Sunday but felt a muscle discomfort, local media reported.
As a consequence, the 37-year-old was left out of the Argentina squad on Monday, and will remain in the United States to recover.
Argentina, who lead the CONMEBOL qualifying standings with 25 points after 12 games, travel to second-placed Uruguay on Friday.
They then host a Brazil side, on March 25, without forward Neymar, who was set to make his return to the national team after more than a year but has been ruled out after sustaining a muscle injury.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
