Lionel Messi, the leader of Argentina, was named to the team for the next two World Cup qualifiers on Thursday, even though he has been hurt and can’t play for his U.S. team Inter Miami. The 36-year-old forwards hasn’t played in Miami’s last four games because of a muscle injury he got last month.
Messi picked for World Cup qualifiers despite injury
A goal from a free kick gave Messi and Argentina the win in their first qualifying game against Ecuador. He did not play in the second game against Bolivia, though. Angel Di Maria wasn’t on coach Lionel Scaloni’s 34-man team because he was hurt, but Paulo Dybala was there because he was healthy again. At the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires on October 12, Argentina will meet Paraguay. The next day, they will play Peru at the National Stadium in Lima.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Juan Musso (Atalanta), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Walter Benitez (PSV) and Franco Armani (River Plate).
Defenders: Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), German Pezzella (Betis), Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica) and Lucas Esquivel (Athletico Paranaense), Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina), Marco Pellegrino (Milan) and Marcos Acuna (Sevilla).
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Roma), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico de Madrid), Guido Rodriguez (Betis), Facundo Buonanotte (Brighton), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Exequiel Palacios (Bayern Leverkusen), Bruno Zapelli (Athletico Paranaense) and Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham).
Forward: Lucas Beltran (Fiorentina), Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Julian Alvarez (Manchester City), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Carlos Alcaraz (Southampton, England), Thiago Almada (Atlanta United), Paulo Dybala (Roma), Facundo Farias (Inter Miami) and Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla).
