Messi named in Argentina squad despite Inter Miami rest

Lionel Messi has been included in Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina squad to take on Uruguay and Brazil in World Cup qualifiers in March, despite skipping Inter Miami’s game at the Houston Dyanmo on Sunday due to fatigue.

Messi was rested by Miami boss Javier Mascherano after an intense period of travelling but is deemed fit enough to feature for the world champions later this month.

Manchester City’s Claudio Echeverri is also named in the group despite not yet having made his debut for his new club, alongside Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister and Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United.

Argentina are aiming to extend their five-point lead at the top of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers table.

#SelecciónMayor Prelista de convocados para la doble fecha de #Eliminatorias ante Uruguay y Brasil pic.twitter.com/p0GtQuwt8O

— Selección Argentina (@Argentina) March 2, 2025

Mascherano confirmed after his side’s 4-1 win over Houston that Messi was just suffering from tiredness after a busy period and was not injured.

He said: “Obviously we talked about it and I always say the same thing, there is no one in the world that knows their body as Leo knows it.

“After three games in six days, we thought that the best thing was to be able to rest, especially on a trip to the other coast of two-and-a-half, three hours.”

Argentina play Uruguay in Montevideo on 21 March before hosting Brazil on 25 March.

Argentina squad: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille), Walter Benitez (PSV); Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), German Pezzella (River Plate), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Facundo Medina (Lens), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Francisco Ortega (Olympiacos); Leandro Paredes (Roma), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Rodrigo de Paul (Atletico Madrid), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Maximo Perrone (Como), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Benjamin Dominguez (Bologna), Thiago Almada (Lyon); Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Nicolas González (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolas Paz (Como), Claudio Echeverri (Manchester City), Paulo Dybala (Roma), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid), Lautaro Martinez (Inter), Santiago Castro (Bologna), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid).