Argentina are still celebrating their qualification for the 2026 World Cup and their emphatic 4-1 victory over Brazil. However, amid the joy, they received bad news: Lionel Messi, who has been recovering from a muscle injury, and the team are set to lose a key player for the upcoming matches.
During the match against Brazil, Colombian referee Andrés Rojas initially appeared to show a yellow card to Rodrigo De Paul in the 74th minute. However, the official match report later clarified that the booking was actually for Leandro Paredes due to unsporting behavior and a reckless foul.
Rojas misjudged the play, as it was Paredes who made contact with the Brazilian player’s leg. The confusion arose because De Paul was standing close to Paredes at the time.
As a result, the Roma midfielder has now accumulated two yellow cards and must serve a one-match suspension, alongside Nicolas Otamendi and Enzo Fernandez. But Argentina could also have to deal with other absences due to the FIFA Club World Cup being scheduled around the same time as the next matches.
Leandro Paredes during the match between Argentina and Brazil (Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)
Argentina’s upcoming World Cup Qualifiers
Although La Albiceleste have already secured their spot in the 2026 World Cup—set to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada—they still have a packed schedule for the rest of the year.
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In the next international window, Argentina will travel to Chile on June 4, then host Colombia in Buenos Aires on June 9. Lionel Scaloni’s squad will be looking for redemption against Los Cafeteros, having lost 2-1 in their last meeting in Barranquilla.
Which players could miss the matches due to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?
The FIFA Club World Cup officially kicks off on June 15, with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami facing Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium. With the tournament so close to the international break, Argentina could be without several key players, including, of course, the captain. The other players that are set to play in the tournament are:
- Atlético de Madrid: Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo De Paul, Giuliano Simeone, Ángel Correa, Julian Alvarez.
- River Plate: German Pezzella, Gonzalo Montiel, Lucas Martinez Quarta, Marcos Acuña.
- Benfica: Nicolas Otamendi.
- Chelsea: Enzo Fernandez.
- Juventus: Nicolás Gonzalez.
- Inter Milan: Lautaro Martinez.
