Argentine star Lionel Messi was unavailable for the match against Uruguay in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, but what was the reason for his absence? Argentina and Uruguay face off on Friday afternoon in a high-stakes 2026 World Cup Qualifier,

An unexpected injury to Lionel Messi leaves Lionel Scaloni and Argentina scrambling to replace their best player ahead of matches against Uruguay and Brazil.

The race to book a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues across South America during the March international period, with world champions Argentina leading the pack as things stand. La Albiceleste are currently top of the CONMEBOL qualifying table and can secure a berth at next summer's tournament should they sit 13 points ahead of seventh place after meetings with Uruguay and Brazil.