This Friday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, against Venezuela, Argentina will play the first of two friendly matches scheduled during the October international break in the United States. But despite the excitement this match generates among fans, Lionel Messi will not be part of the team.
Lionel Scaloni has chosen to leave Messi out of the squad, meaning he won’t be in the starting XI or even on the bench. The head coach didn’t offer a concrete explanation for the decision, but during Thursday’s press conference, he did acknowledge that he would speak with the forward when finalizing the lineup and that his intention was to test other options in the team.
Because the match against Venezuela is only a friendly, there is no urgent need for Messi to play, as he typically does for Argentina. In addition, given his recent physical issues, taking extra precautions to avoid unnecessary strain is seen as the sensible approach.
Connected to this is the situation with Inter Miami. The club is approaching the decisive phase of the 2025 Major League Soccer season, with only two regular-season games remaining before the playoffs begin. Under these circumstances, they need Messi healthy more than ever.
* Developing story
