Messi ruled out for Argentina friendlies with injury

Lionel Messi will miss Argentina‘s upcoming friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica because of a right hamstring injury, the country’s association said Monday.

The Argentina captain was substituted early in the second half of last week’s 3-1 win over Nashville in the Concacaf Champions Cup because of the injury and sat out Saturday’s league victory at D.C. United.

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Inter Miami CF coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said after the game that Messi’s condition will be evaluated “week by week.”

Messi, 36, had previously been included in Argentina’s squad for the international friendlies against El Salvador in Philadelphia this Friday, and against Costa Rica in Los Angeles four days later, but that changed with the AFA update on Monday.

ESPN Argentina reported that Messi could still link up with the national team later this week to undergo part of his recovery process with their medical staff before returning to Florida.

Several Argentina players, including Manchester City striker Julián Álvarez, arrived in Philadelphia on Sunday, with the rest of the squad expected to join them by Tuesday.

Both games are warmups for defending champions Argentina for the Copa America in June and July, which will also be in the U.S.

Argentina had already lost striker Paulo Dybala and midfielder Exequiel Palacios to injuries.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.