Messi to stay in Miami during Argentina national team break

After missing September’s FIFA matchday due to an injury sustained during the Copa América final against Colombia, Messi is back to lead a depleted Argentina national team in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

The MLS star has shifted his focus, now fully committed to continuing his historic journey with the ‘Albiceleste.’ This comes after a successful week in which he claimed his second trophy under coach Tata Martino, winning the Supporters’ Shield.

Will Messi play for Argentina in the international break?

Through his Instagram account, Messi assured fans that he is already in ‘National Team Mode’ and ready for Argentina’s upcoming matches against Venezuela (10 Oct) and Bolivia (15 Oct) during this international break. While he may not play the full 180 minutes, there have been no suggestions that the number ‘10′ will not feature.

The Argentina squad will hold a brief training camp in Miami before traveling to Venezuela on Wednesday to face the ‘Vinotinto,’ according to the official AFA calendar.

However, the team will be affected by several injuries. Key players like Alejandro Garnacho, Paulo Dybala, and Nicolás González have been ruled out, forcing coach Lionel Scaloni to make adjustments for the qualifiers.

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Additionally, Scaloni will be without two defensive stalwarts. Cristian ‘Cuti’ Romero is suspended for the Venezuela match due to accumulated yellow cards, while goalkeeper Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez is suspended following an incident with a photographer in the match against Colombia.

With several absentees, Scaloni will turn to players like Facundo Buonanotte and Julio Soler, who have been called up in an effort to keep Argentina at the top of the standings. You can follow all the action in the days leading up to the games, as well as the matches themselves, right here on AS USA, where we will be bringing you unrivalled pre-game, match day and post-match coverage from our expert soccer team.