Messi's absence from the "Tango" and his replacement is a surprise!

Argentina star Lionel Messi has been left out of the national team's squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia due to an injury sustained in last month's Copa America final. Instead, Roma striker Paulo Dybala has been called up to bolster the squad. The upcoming matches will be against Chile on September 5 in Buenos Aires and against Colombia five days later in Barranquilla. Despite Messi's absence, Argentina retained their Copa America title after beating Colombia 1-0. In addition to Messi's absence, winger Angel Di Maria will not be in the squad after announcing his retirement from international football. Coach Lionel Scaloni has brought in a group of young players to compensate for the absences, including Valentín Barco (Sevilla), Ezequiel Fernández (Al-Qadisiyah Saudi Arabia), Matías Sole (Roma), Juliano Simeone (Atlético Madrid) and Tati Castellanos (Lazio). The squad also includes goalkeepers Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Juan Musso (Atalanta) and Geronimo Rulli (Marseille). In defence, Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Leonardo Balerdi and Cristian Romero stand out. While the midfield includes players such as Guido Rodriguez, Leandro Paredes and Alexis Mac Allister, alongside attacking players such as Lautaro Martinez, Valentín Carbone and Julian Alvarez. Argentina lead the group with 15 points from 6 matches, ahead of second-placed Uruguay and third-placed Colombia.