Lionel Messi to Miss Argentina friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica due to Hamstring Injury

Lionel Messi will miss Argentina’s upcoming two friendly matches against El Salvador and Costa Rica after sustaining a hamstring injury during Inter Miami’s match against Nashville SC in Concacaf Champions Cup last week.

Messi was substituted in the 50th minute and Inter Miami manager Tata Martino said the Argentina player was taken off because of ‘a muscle overload in his right leg.’ He subsequently missed Inter Miami’s next match against DC United and will undergo rehabilitation during the international break.

A statement from the Argentina Football Association confirmed the development and said the injury was, however, a ‘minor’ one.

“The captain of Argentina Lionel Messi, will not be able to be in the squad for the friendlies in the USA due to a minor injury to the hamstring of his right leg suffered in his team's Inter Miami's match against Nashville SC,” the statement read.

Argentina’s friendly matches will be played at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on March 22 and at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on March 26.

However, Martino seemed to downplay the injury scare, and although Messi was asked to continue, it was the star footballer who did not want to continue playing as ‘he wasn’t feeling well’.

"We tried to make him continue but he told us he wasn't feeling well, so he was substituted as a precaution. Messi's injury must be dealt with week by week, and we will evaluate it. We’ll continuously evaluate what he’s doing. The objective is for him to arrive to be able to play in the quarterfinals of Concacaf Champions Cup. We don't want to take a risk,” Martino said.

Messi's injury could put Argentina’s plans in hot water, and the country’s football association is in no mood to take any risk with the star footballer’s fitness.