Lionel Messi returns to Argentina squad for FIFA World Cup qualifiers
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: The reigning World Cup and Copa America champions currently top the 10-team South American group with 18 points from eight games, two points ahead of second-placed Colombia.
The South American country's football association has said that Lionel Messi has returned to squad of Argentina for FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Bolivia. Due to a knee injury, Messi missed the Albi Celeste's qualifiers against Chile and Colombia in September at the age of 37, but has since returned to the field for his club Inter Miami. On October 10 Argentina will play with Venezuela and five days later with Buenos Aires.
The reigning World Cup and Copa America champions are currently leading the 10-team South American group with 18 points from eight games, two points ahead of Colombia. The top six teams will advance directly to the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada. The seventh-placed team will advance to an intercontinental playoff.
Argentina for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers:
Goalkeepers: Geronimo Rulli (Olympique Marseille), Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven), Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid).
Defenders: Cristian Romero (Tottenham), German Pezzella (River Plate), Marcos Acuna (River Plate), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon).
Midfielders: Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Nicolas Paz (Como), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Exquiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Valentin Carboni (Olympique Marseille), Leandro Paredes (Roma), Thiago Almada (Botafogo).
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Nicolas Gonzalez (Juventus), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid), Paulo Dybala (Roma), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan).
