Argentina confirmed lineup against Peru in the 2024 Copa América match: Is Messi playing?

Argentina will be setting out to preserve their 100 percent record at 2024 Copa América when they bring the group stage to a close against Peru at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium tonight. Lionel Scaloni’s team top Group A having won both of their games so far (beating Canada 2-0 and Chile 0-1) and now will be hoping to finish the job to secure their place in the quarter finals as the champions of their group.

Mathematically, they are already there - but a win or a draw against Peru would set up a quarter final meeting with the runners-up in Group B - either Mexico, Ecuador - or possibly even group leaders Venezuela, depending on how tomorrow’s games pan out. Here’s how the world champions with line up...

Peru’s last chance

Peru’s chances of sneaking second place in Group A are looking extremely remote, if not impossible. Jorge Fossati’s men are bottom of the group with one point. Even if they were capable of pulling off a miraculous win against Argentina (something that’s happened once in over 30 years - a 2-1 victory at the 1997 Copa América), they would still depend on the other group game between Chile and Canada ending level and need to win their game by two goals or more...

So as things stand, tonight’s game is pretty much a formality for Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina. Which in some ways is a relief as the coach will not be able to count on captain Lionel Messi.

What injury is Messi recovering from?

Messi complained of muscular pains after Tuesday’s win against Chile. In the following days he underwent medical tests and kinesiology sessions but sat out Thursday’s training session. Scaloni confirmed that the Inter Miami forward had suffered a minor adductor injury and would play no part in the last group stage game against Peru. It is hoped that Messi will be declared fit to return for the quarter final in Houston on 4 July.

Left-back Marcos Acuña also suffered a muscle injury during training in Miami. Acuña started the Canada game and came on as a sub against Chile but Scaloni has the position well covered with Nicolás Tagliafico. The coach will also be absent this evening - he is serving one-match ban for exceeding tournament regulations on keeping to a strict schedule. His half-time pep talk went over the time limit, prompting opposing coach Jesse Marsch to issue a formal complaint as his side were kept waiting.

Otherwise, Argentina will be at full strength for the Peru game. Up front, they will be relying on Lautaro Martínez, the tournament’s joint top scorer, to supply the goals while Messi watches from the sidelines. has scored two goals in two games, and is level with Vinicius (Brazil), Folarin Balogun (USMNT) and Uruguayan pair: Darwin Núñez and Maximiliano Araújo.

The 2024 Copa América Group A game between Argentina and Peru will be played on Saturday, 29 June 2024 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, kicking off at 8 p.m. EDT/ 5 p.m. PDT. The other Group A game between Canada and Peru will take place at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, also tonight and kicking off at the same time: 8 p.m. EDT/ 5 p.m. PDT.