March 18, (THEWILL) – Lionel Messi will miss Argentina’s upcoming international friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica, due to a hamstring injury, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed on Monday. The 36-year-old talisman sustained the minor right hamstring problem during Inter Miami’s CONCACAF Champions League win over Nashville last week.
Messi was forced off in the second half of that match on March 16 and subsequently missed Inter Miami’s MLS game against DC United on Saturday. His absence is a blow for Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni, who was already without several other key players through injury.
Messi’s unavailability compounds the losses of Paulo Dybala, Exequiel Palacios and Marcos Senesi for the Albiceleste’s friendlies in the United States. Argentina take on El Salvador at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia this Friday before facing Costa Rica at the Los Angeles Coliseum on March 28.
Despite Messi’s injury, Argentina will be confident of victories in both matches as they keep the main core of their World Cup-winning squad together.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
