Argentina's manager, Lionel Scaloni, has emphasized that Lionel Messi will be given the opportunity to play as many minutes as possible in the initial two rounds of South America's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.
Despite a demanding schedule with his new club, Inter Miami, where the 36-year-old has been heavily involved in matches, Messi is expected to take the field for the Albiceleste in their clash against Ecuador in Buenos Aires on Thursday, as per reports from Xinhua.
Scaloni, during a press conference on Wednesday, revealed, "I spoke with him for a while yesterday, and he made himself available."
He added, "In principle, he will play as much as he can. For us, just the fact that he is on the pitch is important. There's no reason to save him if he doesn't have any injury concerns."
Since making a move to Inter Miami on a free transfer in July, Messi has showcased his scoring prowess, netting 11 goals in as many matches and contributing five assists. Impressively, during this period, Inter Miami has remained undefeated and clinched their maiden trophy, the Leagues Cup, triumphing over Nashville in a penalty shootout last month.
Scaloni emphasized Messi's contentment when he's on the football field, regardless of the location. He stated, "He has found a place where they love him, and I always say that he is happy when he's on a football pitch. Regardless of the country or the city where he is, he needs to play football and feel happy."
In addition to the fixture against Ecuador, Argentina is scheduled to face Bolivia in a qualifying match in La Paz next Tuesday.
These matches hold significance as they mark Albiceleste's return to competitive action since securing their third World Cup title with a penalty shootout victory over France in Qatar last December.
(With Inputs From IANS)