Lionel Messi and Neymar almost out of time

The March FIFA international break has arrived, and it’s time for the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualifiers to resume in South America. The most anticipated matchup was the reunion between Lionel Messi and Neymar, but the former Barcelona teammates have both been ruled out of Argentina’s clash against Brazil due to injuries.

Why aren’t Messi and Neymar playing in Argentina vs Brazil?

“Examination results confirmed a low-grade adductor muscle injury,” was the latest assessment of Messi by Inter Miami, who hope the Argentine star’s recovery progresses well enough for him to be able to play against LAFC in the Concachampions quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, despite Neymar’s “happy to be back” comment after being part of Brazil’s squad again, muscle problems in his left thigh forced him to withdraw from the upcoming qualifiers.

Fans will therefore have to wait to see the two superstars on the field together, even if not on the same team. It also raises the question as to whether it will ever happen again.

Will Messi and Neymar ever play together again?

Messi will turn 38 in June and has been forced to deal with an increasing number of fitness issues since moving to the United States.

33-year-old Neymar was linked with a move to MLS before agreeing to return to first club Santos. He only signed a six-month deal, although ESPN has reported the Brazilian hopes to return to one of the top European leagues in the future.

With Argentina and Brazil having already met once in World Cup qualification, perhaps the only chance of seeing them on the field together again is at the tournament itself in the U.S., Mexico and Canada in the summer of 2026.

Argentina lead the way in 2026 World Cup qualification

Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires will host the March 25 clash between Argentina and Brazil in the 14th round of the World Cup qualifiers. Neymar was first to withdraw from the Brazil squad, followed by Argentina captain Messi, who has been struggling to stay fully fit lately.

Argentina goes into games against Uruguay (March 21) and Brazil at the top of the qualification standings with 25 points from 12 games, in which they have recorded eight wins, one draw, and three losses.

They will be without captain and talisman Messi, who is the leading scorer in South American qualification with six goals and is vying to be the top assist provider alongside Colombia’s James Rodríguez and Yeferson Soteldo of Venezuela, who are currently just one ahead of him with four.

Neymar had been set to return for Brazil, who are fifth on 18 points, after a long spell on the sidelines caused by an ACL injury suffered during the World Cup Qualifier against Uruguay on October 17, 2023. Despite showing great form at Santos, he will have to wait a little longer to don his national team’s colors again, with Real Madrid starlet Endrick stepping in in his place.

Messi and Neymar go their separate ways

Brazil coach Dorival Júnior and Argentinian counterpart Lionel Scaloni will face these matches without their top players, and the long-awaited reunion of Neymar and Messi, who haven’t shared a field since their PSG days, will be pushed back, at best.

At the end of 2023, Neymar chose to leave European elite football to try his luck with Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, while Messi started a new project with Inter Miami in the United States, joined by Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suárez.

Original article written by Bryan Arellano, translated with the assistance of AI and edited by Roddy Cons.

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